In Mother of Flies, college student Mickey has turned away from traditional medicine to treat the tumor that resides inside her. After rounds of chemotherapy, drugs, and multiple doctors, the mass still won’t be eradicated from her body. Now Mickey has turned to the supernatural for a chance at living a long and healthy life.
Mickey (Zelda Adams), Mother of Flies
Actress Zelda Adams portrayal of a cancer victim not wanting to give into the monster growing inside of her is heartbreaking. To some viewers, it is not hard to understand how her suffering and desperation has led her to alternative methods. However, her father (John Adams) is having trouble seeing eye to eye with her choice. As much as he loves his daughter, it is apparent he is not yet ready to suspend his sense of disbelief and follow her on this journey into the woods.
The Path Less Traveled
Mother of Flies is not just another horror folk movie. What makes this story different is that it sidesteps the classic tropes of your average witch centered film. Instead, you have two independent narratives; Mickey’s and Solveig’s. While each character’s motive for being there is their own, they each need the other to push forward and obtain their desired outcomes. As Solveig puts it to Mickey;
“Your curse is my gift.”
Solveig (Toby Poser) Mother of Flies.
What also makes this movie different from the rest of those supernatural films based in the woods, is the story behind the script.
The Story Behind the Story
Mother of Fliesis a horror movie brought to life by the Adams family. No, not The AddamsFamily. The Adams family; a family consisting of mother Toby Poser, father John Adams, and daughters Zelda and Lulu Adams.
The cancer, or canker as Solveig calls it, growing inside of Mickey has left the relationship between the father and daughter strained. You can sense it from the very first scene between the two in an awkward car ride. Apparently, their bond was once close and loving. However, over time it has become yet another victim of Mickey’s cancer.
Father John (John Adams) and daughter Mickey (Zelda Adams), Mother of Flies.
These tense moments and conversations between John and Mickey stem from a very real place. These are conversations the family behind the camera have shared themselves in the setting of their own home.
According to an interview with IndieWire, both Toby and John have previously battled the illness in varying forms. John had his battle with the illness three decades ago, while Toby had hers more recently in 2020.
Furthermore, right before filming Mother of Flies, daughter Zelda sadly learned she carries the genetic predisposition to Lynch syndrome in her genes. This is the same condition her mother has.
Cathartic Healing
It is through their art produced by their production company at Wonder Wheel Productions, this family has found a way to bond and heal.
Daughter Zelda explains how filming their projects, Mother of Flies included, helps her and her family, as a form of therapy.
“All of our films are very therapeutic for us because we’re constantly dealing with themes of family, love, loss, grief.”
The Adams family is a successful example of a family who slays together, stays together!
Let us know what you think of Mother of Flies, now available on Shudder!
Piper St. James has always had an interest in the darker side of life. Her main areas in writing include horror, true crime, and BDSM. Writing has always come naturally to her since a young age, beginning with a need for escapism through fiction. With age and experience she found herself in a world of journalism, movie reviews, editorials, and interviews. She has written for many outlets over the years, both online as well as print, on the subjects previously mentioned. iHorror.com has been her horror home for the better part of a decade now!
