The documentary “A Mother Apart” chronicles the trauma suffered by Staceyann Chin as the result of abandonment by her mother Hazel who left her behind in Jamaica to be raised by extended family members when she departed for Montreal.
Poet, actor, and performing artist Staceyann Chin is the author of the new poetry collection Crossfire: A Litany For Survival, the critically acclaimed memoir The Other Side of Paradise, cowriter and original performer in the Tony Award–winning Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam on Broadway, and author of the one-woman shows Hands Afire, Unspeakable Things, Border/Clash, and MotherStruck. She has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show and 60 Minutes, and her poetry been featured in the New York Times and the Washington Post. She proudly identifies as Caribbean, Black, Asian, lesbian, a woman, and a resident of New York City, as well as a Jamaican national.
Chin narrates her own story and being a poet has a certain “flair” in her storytelling. Despite a clear rejection by her mother Hazel, Chin simply can’t agree to sever the emotional and physical ties that should have been there but weren’t. Chin’s mother flits in and out of her life all connection being a result of the efforts Chin. At points a viewer may muse that Chin is mother hunting her mother like big game to set her mind at ease and explore the guilt and rejection at abandonment. Mother seems tired and angry about the chase. Many of us have experienced at an early age abandonment or the death of a parent but we move on but not Chin bordering on obsessive behavior seeking some destiny of self fulfillment. Those who abandon must take their victims as the find them and Chin did not take abandonment well. The trauma is evident in much of her raging poetry recitals about abandonment and motherhood.
The rage is readily apparent when visiting Hazel’s original Montreal residence she angrily confronts neighbours that knew Hazel blasting them for not saying anything about their lies Hazel told them. This incident is evidentiary of her determination (or obsession) to elicit details about her mother.
Is the birth of Chin’s daughter Zuri a result of her motherhood obsession? Is Zuri being schooled in life by the scars of Chin?
Shockingly while Chin mother hunts in Köln, Germany she muses that as she reflected on how Hazel raised her younger sister Laura she expresses gratitude about her motherly rejection and realizes her mother is a player of emotions. Hazel lost custody of Laura in Germany indicative of her poor mothering skills.
Ok so you think Chin has finally realized Hazel is really “working her” it is time to call it quits but the mother fixation continues as she queries those who may have known her in Jamaica.
My impression of the footage of Hazel is that there is insincerity and excuses galore.
The viewer may be left with the impression not only was Chin played by her mother she may be playing herself.
A well put together story and subject to several interpretations. The overly melodramatic musical score is sappy to the nth degree.
Here is an excerpt from the documentary https://vimeo.com/894555101
Directed by Laurie Townshend.
A National Film Board of Canada and Oya Media Group co-production.
Screening at HOT DOCS 26/28April2024.
RKS 2024 Film Rating 88/100.
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