Acclaimed filmmaker Jun Robles Lana is back with the provocative screen drama “Your Mother’s Son,” in which an anomalous relationship between a hardworking mother and her indolent son suddenly gets disrupted by the arrival of a young man in their household.

The film stars Kokoy de Santos and Sue Prado as the son and mother, respectively, along with Miggy Jimenez and Elora Españo. Early access to the uncut version is now available on Vivamax Plus pay-per-view.

Penned by Lana and Elmer Gatchalian, the story follows Sarah, a middle-aged single mother who juggles the demands of teaching online courses and fulfilling food orders to support her son, Emman. Despite her efforts, Emman remains idle and jobless, and is often with Amy (Españo), their house helper, indulging in drugs and sex.

Emman also harbors a disturbing possessiveness towards his mother—he feels strangely envious whenever another man shows interest in her. One day, Sarah brings home one of her students, Oliver (Jimenez), to offer him refuge from his abusive father. This threatens Emman and puts a strain on his relationship with his mother. Emman then goes to great lengths to ensure Oliver knows he isn’t welcome.

Layers of lies

What ensues is a scandalous tale veiled in layers of lies, turmoil and sex. As Sarah and Emman’s lives intertwine with Oliver’s, the situation takes a dark twist when unexpected secrets unfold, revealing that some relationships may not be as they appear.

“‘Your Mother’s Son’ is a chamber drama. I wanted to tell their story as a reflection of the current state of Philippine society plagued by metastasizing corruption that has blurred the lines between right and wrong,” said Lana, who’s behind award-winning films such as “Kalel, 15” and “Die Beautiful.”

“Your Mother’s Son” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2023 as part of the Centrepiece section. It began screening on demand last May 22 on Vivamax Plus. Watch it on www.vivamax.net or download the Vivamax app to create or log in to your account. No need to subscribe to Vivamax to watch. INQ