“Arresting...each section leaves its mark.”

“A thought-provoking debut...deeply felt and closely observed.”

“A tapestry of modern alienation.”

“Gutnik’s bravura filmmaking makes him someone to watch.”

“Viscerally immersive.”

“Spellbinding performances.”

“Absorbing.”

“Nothing short of radical...leaves a lasting and profound impression.”

“Enlightening, raw and completely unfiltered...People need to see this.”

“An astonishing portrait of profound intimacy from isolation, ‘Materna’ captures how even our most private relationships intertwine with each new chapter the nation faces. We are honored to be working with Gutnik on his ravishing debut, a telltale sign that he will continue to be a visionary filmmaker of record.”

“Explosive...achingly relatable.”

“A masterclass in acting.”

“Riveting and darkly moving...packed with skilled depictions of the tension between independence and vulnerability, taking almost surreal routes beneath the surface.”

“A beautiful portrait of life at its most intimate.”

“Despite the long cinematic history of complicated mother-child relationships that have been presented on screen, no one has gone about it in quite the way writer/director David Gutnik has in Materna.”

“A unique and refreshing perspective on both motherhood and womanhood.”

“There is a nagging, haunting quietude at the heart of this wonderful little film.”

“Could not be more timely.”

“Materna exemplifies stunning cinematography and complicated characters in a complicated world, authentic, intense performances, and it feels like an experience that we will continue to think about and that will spark many conversations and more importantly, questions.”

“This compelling drama features great supporting turns from indie darling Kate Lyn Sheil (She Dies Tomorrow), country singer Sturgill Simpson, and Rory Culkin as a remarkable, empathetic character.”

“David Gutnik’s debut feature is already leaving its mark on the festival circuit, and rightly so. Long, poignant sequences evoke John Cassavetes’ intimate, character-driven storytelling and enable the four leads’ psychologically rich portraits of the women to truly shine.”

“I have to write about one more detail that Materna brings to mastery. It’s about leaving blank spaces, constructing a story in such a way that some things don’t need to be said. This makes the film subtle, though not delicate, insightful, empathetic and at times devastating. ”

“Assol just has so much compelling energy; her emotions ran so deep…we cared about her dilemma. The visuals were striking.”

“A major breakthrough.”

“Gripping directorial debut.”

“Gritty, authentic.”