- Welcome to POV .
I'm Pete Schwaba host of PBS Wisconsin's Director's Cut .
It's been said that home is where the heart is,
it's also been said that you can't go home again.
Both cliches ring true in tonight's film,
the story of an immigrant
who has spent over three decades in America
but longs to return to her homeland in Colombia
in tonight's film La Casa de Mama Icha.
Maria Dionisia Navarro, known affectionately as Mama Icha,
is in the twilight of her life at 93.
What does she want?
It's simple.
She wants to go home.
Despite living in Philadelphia
with a daughter who cares for her and loves her,
Maria wants to return to her place of birth
to live out her year, even though she knows
she will most likely
never see her daughter or grandchildren again.
Awaiting her back home in Colombia is a house in disrepair
and two sons who love her,
but have taken advantage of her, financially.
La Casa de Mama Icha
is directed by Oscar Molina,
who is also of Colombian descent.
but thought that living there
stunted his growth as a filmmaker.
So Molina moved to America to attend Temple University.
When he accompanied Maria on her trip back to Colombia,
it was his first time back as well,
a fascinating parallel
between the director and his leading lady.
This is Molina's first feature-length film.
The director says he's interested in stories
about anonymous characters
whose personal circumstances give us a window
into our current social, political, and economic times.
La Casa de Mama Icha is a story of family roots,
complicated and heartbreaking relationships,
and literally keeping one's house in order.
It starts now on PBS Wisconsin,
your home for independent film.