The Matriarch
A 17-year-old enters her mother’s trafficking business, pushing the limits of family loyalty in search of her love.
Kim lives with her mother and mute younger brother in a prefab building near Germany’s Baltic coast. Behind a family shrine in their living room lies a secret space, where strangers come and go. Her mother runs an illegal trafficking operation bringing Vietnamese migrants into Europe, whilst Kim longs for something money cannot buy: her mother’s love and recognition.
When her mother’s closest associate leaves to establish a rival operation, Kim sees her chance to prove herself. As she steps into his place, the promise of approval draws her deeper into a world of violence, secrecy and shifting loyalties. Meanwhile, a first romance offers a glimpse of the life she might have had beyond the family business.
Drawing on her connection to the German-Vietnamese community, Alison Kuhn skilfully combines a coming-of-age drama with a genre-driven thriller, exploring the tangled dynamics of family, migration, and inherited expectations. With its sleek visual style, moments of raw violence, and unexpected tenderness, “The Matriarch” builds a gripping portrait of a daughter willing to go further in her search for the love of the woman she wants to become.
Massimo Ianetti
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Biography
Alison Kuhn (1995) is a German-Vietnamese director and writer. A graduate of Filmuniversity Babelsberg, she earned early acclaim with her student films. She was a director on the series DRUCK, WATCH ME and SHADOW LEAKS, which reached Netflix Germany’s Top10. Her feature debut HOLY MEAT premiered at Filmfest Munich and won the Jury Prize at Cinequest in California. Her second feature THE MATRIARCH premieres in the main competition (Official Selection) at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival 2026.
Filmography
The Case You (2020, doc), Holy Meat (2025), The Matriarch (2026)
Screenings
