Israeli actress Evgenia Dodina triumphs in Or Sinai's Mama - review

Speaking in Polish instead of her native Russian, Dodina turns in a memorable performance in Mama - one of her many memorable stage achievements.

EVGENIA DODINA in Mama. She represents the type of woman who has made the painful decision to leave her family so she can provide for them.

(photo credit: Matan Radin)

ByHANNAH BROWN

JULY 7, 2026 15:44

Mama, a strong new Israeli drama opening nationwide on Thursday, features one of Israel's finest actresses, Evgenia Dodina. She calls to mind Isabelle Huppert because she excels in every role no matter the film and projects a powerful, singular presence. I am always pleased when she appears in a movie, and Mama, written and directed by Or Sinai, offers an ideal platform for her skills.

The film, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2025, follows Mila (Dodina), a resilient foreign caregiver from Poland employed by a wealthy Israeli couple. She embodies the woman who has made the painful choice to leave her family behind in order to support them financially.

Yet while the decision is selfless, the story highlights that she remains human with her own desires, shown through an elegantly staged opening sequence in which she dances with her young partner, Martin (Martin Ogbu), an African foreign worker who tends the garden. Sinai, who earned the Cinefondation Award at Cannes for her short film Anna that also starred Dodina, presents the opening like a short film, creating a vivid introduction to Mila.

We observe her daily routine, during which she maintains friendly ties with her employers (Chelli Goldenberg, once a leading figure in Israeli cinema, and Meir Suissa, who appeared with Goldenberg in the classic The Troupe). When she injures her shoulder while cleaning, they firmly suggest it is a good moment for her to visit Poland. We sense Mila's conflicting emotions as she departs for the airport.

Rural Poland, where her family resides, stands in sharp contrast to the sleek Israeli beachfront home where Mila works. Yet the setting is not the only difference. In Israel, Mila enjoys a degree of independence, whereas back home she encounters conflicts she cannot resolve.

Work on the new family home she has funded with her earnings remains incomplete, and although the builders seem pleasant, it is uncertain whether they are exerting full effort.

Deeper issues emerge. Her husband, Anatoli (Arkadiusz Jakubik), appears less than thrilled to see her, and she quickly understands the reason. She feels hurt, even though the film's early scenes reveal she has not been faithful either. Still, relationships involve a certain balance, and her move to Israel along with sending all her earnings makes his infidelity a greater breach.

Mila's daughter abandons her studies

She feels even greater distress over her daughter, Kasia (Katarzyna Lubik), who has largely quit her studies and may be expecting a child. Mila expected little from Anatoli but placed all her hopes in her daughter building a better life. Yet Kasia seems content, and her boyfriend appears decent. What options does Mila have?

This maternal conflict lies at the core of Mama. Mila's anguish over what she views as Kasia condemning herself to ongoing hardship lifts the film from a simple portrait of a Polish worker into a broader, affecting tale. Mila controls the finances and holds authority in the family, yet she has been absent and can no longer guide her daughter as before.

No longer young, Mila also worries she has been supplanted by her outwardly pleasant employers, who do not truly know her. She may have lost her position in Israel just as her own family views her return as an inconvenience, losing everything at once. When Mila urges her daughter to remain in school and avoid the errors she herself made, the moment lands with force.

A downbeat movie with an upbeat actress

The Poland sequences are somber, but Dodina prevents them from turning overly bleak. Speaking in Polish instead of her native Russian, she delivers a memorable performance here - one of her many memorable stage achievements.

Born in Belarus, Dodina arrived in Israel in the 1990s and joined actors founding the Gesher Theatre, which stages productions in Hebrew and Russian. I have not seen her onstage, yet I have heard frequent praise for her work.

A versatile performer, she recently appeared in the spy drama Unconditional, streaming on Apple TV. She also plays a key part in Hagai Levi's series Etty. Mama may rank as her best screen work so far - although I also admired her as a grieving mother in One Week and a Day - and that is high praise.