After delivering a powerful speech in front of the Texas state capital, Kimberly Shappley holds up a picture of who she’s protecting: her six-year-old, trans daughter, Kai. Tears begin streaming down her face as she wages a battle against an unjust bathroom bill designed to demonize trans people across the state.
Moments like these define Daresha Kyi’s Mama Bears. Kyi documents three heart-wrenching tales of faith, family, and the resolve to do what’s right with an intimate and eye-opening lens.
What’s “right” wasn’t always obvious for the trio of women at the heart of the film. Sara Cunningham, the founder of Free Mom Hugs, struggled for years to accept her gay son, Parker. Tammi Terrell Morris, a black lesbian, masked her sexuality with marriage for four years. And Kimberly was alienated from her community after she let her daughter be who she truly is: a fun-loving and sharp young girl.
Early in the film, a montage of Kimberly’s family photos paints a stark picture. Virtually every face except Kimberly’s is blurred. The scene is a poignant reminder her love for Kai isn’t without its sacrifices. Tammi’s mother leaves the documentary over halfway through her story. It’s a tragic echo of the familiar distance gay people are often forced to endure. Kyi doesn’t shy away from this discomfort and pain. Instead, she illuminates it.
In one sequence, Sara and Parker visit the memorial for Matthew Shepard, a gay college student who was beaten and left for dead on a field in Wyoming in 1998. Sara embraces her son as she’s reminded that he risks identical persecution every day. Flowing tears might be a recurring theme of Mama Bears, but they’re cathartic, touching, and undeniably necessary.
Kyi also captures the turmoil each of the three women faced at a critical juncture. Before she turned three, Kimberly’s daughter was vocal about her real gender despite the sex she was assigned at birth. Ultimately, Kimberly admits that her turmoil wasn’t out of concern for her daughter, but for herself. Similarly, Tammi pursued a straight marriage in a desperate attempt to reconcile her fate, despite who she really is.
Beneath Sara, Kimberly, and Tammi’s journeys are the movement the film is named after. Sara discovers there are droves of evangelical Christian mothers fighting tooth and nail for their LGBTQ+ children, as well as individuals who don’t have parents to turn to. The dive into the Mama Bears’ history is a crucial aside, proving love still has plenty of fuel.
Near the film’s conclusion, Tammi learns to accept who she is, finds a like-minded partner, and maintains hope for her mother. On the other hand, Kimberly comes to accept there are few safe places for her daughter her Texas, so they move to Austin. Finally, Sara is proud to share Mama Bears has established a chapter in every state. Progress may feel slow if not outright paused. But Kyi contests it’s still there, and that alone is enough to keep moving.
Mama Bears balances trouble with triumph. While the hurdles aren’t downplayed, Kyi reminds us there is a finish line. And a brighter tomorrow lies just behind it.
Mama Bears plays again Saturday, June 11 at 2 PM in the Oklahoma Museum of Art theater as a part of deadCenter Film Festival. The film will also be available to stream online through deadCenter’s digital festival June 13-20. Find more deadCenter 2022 coverage at The Cinematropolis.
