The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom

UK Premiere

Montreal writer/director Tara Johns, in her feature debut, takes us back to the ’70s, the dreadful fashions and interior decor drenched in a dewy nostalgic haze, to tell the simple story of 11-year-old Elizabeth, who longs to get her first period so she can be like her friends. When Elizabeth discovers she is adopted it sparks a bout of preteen rebellion and confusion. If her mom isn’t her real mom, then maybe her idol is; he’s determined to get to a Dolly Parton concert to find out. This leads to a cathartic cross-country trek by a mother searching for a daughter searching for a mother - both of them really searching for themselves. Parton’s participation, allowing a few of her songs to be re-recorded by Canadian artists and providing a voiceover finale, add much to the film’s appeal.

Thanks to Palomar Films