BABA (2017)

Health and wealth are the two most common reasons for a family to implode, and Baba's mental deterioration presents a great strain on the Becker siblings. As the sun rises Pam's patience runs thin with her mother's daily obsession: the imaginary Mansours order for curtains. As the day progresses, her brother Steve calls. Pam made a promise to Baba that she would not end up in a home, but she just wants a week off. Steve refuses to help, insisting that Baba should be put in a permanent care facility. Baba's dementia is the epicentre of the ever-widening sibling rift. Caring for Baba is an all-consuming task that has put Pam's personal and professional life on permanent hold. Steve appears a rather demanding brother who never helps much, physically or financially. So when Baba disappears from the house to wander the streets, Pam reverts to the same kind of panic a parent might endure if they lost their child at the fairground. Steve, on the other hand, speeds to the family home to assist. When Steve's car nearly knocks his mother over, Pam is conflicted and doesn't know what to do. She fears this will be the end for Baba and she will never return home if Steve calls an ambulance. Their bickering is interrupted by Baba who for a fleeting second seems to understand her predicament. This near tragedy brings a bond of understanding between the siblings. If ever so briefly, the Becker family is united again, and perhaps the Becker siblings might work things out, for mum's sake.