At First Glance Seemingly Just an Elaborate Contrivance, ‘The Mother of All Lies’ Is a Tour de Force
Asmae El Moudir’s movie is among the most resourceful films to come down the pike in some time; the most powerful, as well. It is a serious venture of daunting personal integrity and considerable artistic merit.

Asmae El Moudir’s “The Mother of All Lies” is a motion picture marked by elaborate contrivance. It’s a documentary about the intersection of family and fate, about those who we hold close and those who would pull us asunder. Having little in the way of hard historical evidence, the filmmaker reframes past events through the use of homemade dolls and miniature sets, placing hand-crafted reimaginings alongside straight-on interviews with family and friends.
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