Ma

In her directorial debut, Choreographer Celia Rowlson-Hall employs her extensive experience in dance to create Ma, a modern-day interpretation of the story of Mother Mary and an examination of American culture that raises theological and gender-related questions. Rowlson-Hall also appears in the lead role as a woman who emerges from the desert wearing nothing but a T-shirt, cowboy boots and a towel on her head. She falls for a lonely man, and the two spend a few days in a typical American motel in the Southwestern wilderness. The director bravely forgoes dialogue, allowing the viewer to take in the spectacular cinematography, brilliant imagery, precise sound work and exuberant choreography.