The programme has been commissioned as part of Channel 4’s prestigious First Cut strand…
A powerful documentary directed by British South Asian creative Maleena Pone marks her directorial debut in documentary and is a deeply personal exploration of generational trauma, grief, and healing.
Saving Mum follows Pone’s journey to repair her complex relationship with her mother, Jasbir, as they confront a shared legacy of silence, loss, and alcoholism. Filmed across the UK and Costa Rica Saving Mum is an unflinching portrait of love, control, and emotional rebirth within a British Punjabi family.
As part of their healing journey, Maleena and her mother travel to Costa Rica to take part in a traditional Ayahuasca ceremony, guided by experienced facilitators. This plant medicine ritual becomes a pivotal moment in the film—offering raw, often painful emotional revelations.
Maleena Pone:
“The decision to include our Ayahuasca experience in the film was not taken lightly. But it was such a profound part of our journey. It allowed us to step outside the roles of ‘mother’ and ‘daughter’ and meet each other spirit to spirit, pain to pain. That encounter reshaped the way I see her—and myself.”
With a career spanning over 18 years across journalism, branded content, and digital storytelling, Pone has worked with brands such as Nike and IKEA, and developed programming for BBC Sounds, London Live, and BBC Three. She is also a trauma-informed facilitator and coach who supports women of colour in reclaiming their stories and careers.
Rita Daniels, Commissioning Editor:
“This is a hugely important Frist Cut commission, and I am honoured that Maleena has chosen to work with Channel 4 and to share her deeply personal exploration of generational trauma and grief. The film is likely to be both fascinating and deeply troubling as we watch mother and daughter attempt to repair what may seem to be the unrepairable. Made by an Incredible roster of film makers this documentary will offer up hope and the belief that reconciliation even In the toughest of circumstances Is possible.”
Drawing on more than two decades of personal archive—diaries, home video, photographs, and audio recordings—the film spans three generations of women and provides rare insight into the emotional interior lives of South Asian families. It is a story about love, loss, and the radical act of choosing healing over silence.
Saving Mum will air later this year on Channel 4.
