At the Toronto International Film Festival, I had the opportunity to sit down with director Bassam Tariq and the cast of Your Mother, Your Mother, Your Mother, a film that brings together themes of family, faith, parenthood, grief and survival. The film follows Latif, played by two-time Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali, as he tries to provide for his family while facing circumstances that put those relationships to the test.
My conversation with Tariq stood out to me from the beginning. We spoke about the role of the Hadith in the film and its significance within Islamic culture. When I asked him about it, he seemed pleasantly surprised by the question and asked me if I was Muslim. The conversation opened up a more personal discussion about why the Hadith mattered to him and why it was such a meaningful part of the story.
Tariq also spoke about intention and his creative connection with Ali throughout the making of the film. For him, the story is about continuing to have faith through difficult moments, while also recognizing the realities of parenthood and the desire to give your children the best possible life. His message to audiences is simple: keep going and keep showing up.
Legendary actor Giancarlo Esposito, who plays Abdul Malik, brought his own connection to the filmโs themes. In our conversation, he spoke about his love of samurai films and what drew him to a story about a man trying to escape the world around him while dealing with parenthood, grief and loss. As a father himself, Esposito connected with the filmโs portrayal of what it means to raise children and the circumstances that can force a parent to take on both the role of mother and father.
John Cho was honest about his initial hesitation to take on the film. He told me he was scared to say yes because he wasn’t sure if he could do it. His admiration for Bassam Tariq and his excitement about working with Mahershala Ali were what pushed him to take the role. During our conversation, Cho also talked about what the film made him think about personally. One of the things that stayed with him was the idea that parents sometimes need their children too.
For Abubakr Ali, the script made an immediate impression. He told me he cried for 20 minutes after reading it. Then came the question of how he would approach a character who is a psychopath. Ali had to find a way into a character who presented a significant challenge, while still understanding the person behind the role. His emotional response to the script became part of the process of figuring out how to bring that character to life.
Jahleel Kamara stars as Qadir, the young son of Mahershala Aliโs character, Latif, in Your Mother, Your Mother, Your Mother. Kamara joins an impressive cast that includes two-time Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali, Giancarlo Esposito and John Cho. With Qadir at the center of Latifโs journey as a father, we spoke with Kamara about preparing for the role, working alongside such accomplished actors and the lessons he took away from the experience.
What stayed with me after these conversations was how differently each person connected with the film. From faith and parenthood to family, grief and perseverance, everyone brought something personal to the story.
Speaking with the cast at TIFF gave me the chance to hear those perspectives firsthand and learn more about what went into bringing the film to life.
Your Mother, Your Mother, Your Mother arrives in theatres September 25, 2026.
By: Sahra M.
Editor-in-Chief, Special Sense Magazine
