Director Anders Walter, perfectly examines the way in which familial trauma and abuse can stretch far beyond the years during which the victim is directly abused. His masterful film, Child of Mine, which is eligible to be considered for a 2022 Academy Award, takes a raw and honest look into this difficult topic while still handling it in a way that is accessible to audiences. 

The film not only looks at the way abuse and trauma in the household can greatly affect children, but it also shows the significance of “healing your inner child”. Anna (portrayed by Mathilde Arcel Fock) has experienced abuse at the hands of her mother; who was an alcoholic during Anna’s childhood. 

Walter’s direction and Louise McLaughlin’s cinematography paint contrasting images of Anna’s life as a child and as an adult. The young girl, who audiences come to know is Anna, herself, as a child, resides in a dark home; from the wood to the lighting, everything feels shrouded in shadow. This contrasts with the lighter home that adult Anna now resides within. While her new home is brighter, there are still shadows in certain areas that seem to highlight the idea that Anna has the shadows of her familial trauma still unresolved and haunting her.