You are here:

On My Own

Name: On My Own
Director: Antonio Tibaldi
Released: 1993
Duration: 97 min

Representation Score

6.5/10

Good

1993

Director

Antonio Tibaldi

Runtime

97 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

On My Own explores mental health and fractured family structures through a character-driven narrative. By focusing on a mother's struggle with schizophrenia, the film moves away from idealized depictions of family life. The film's strengths lie in its transnational setting and its portrayal of parental instability. The diverse locations across Canada, England, and Hong Kong provide a global context that avoids a narrow Western viewpoint. However, the film lacks explicit representation of LGBTQ+ identities and does not specify the racial backgrounds of the characters. The narrative primarily centers on mental health issues rather than broader social diversity.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does On My Own have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film does not explicitly include LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisgender identities. It focuses mainly on familial dynamics and mental health issues.

How does On My Own portray gender?

Fair

The story delves into the experience of being a mother through the lens of mental illness, offering a nuanced look at female vulnerability rather than an idealized version of motherhood.

How racially and ethnically diverse is On My Own?

Fair

The film features a transnational setting involving Canada, Hong Kong, and England, which breaks the mold of a purely Western perspective. However, the specific racial identities of the characters are not specified.

How does On My Own represent religion and culture?

Good

By focusing on the theme of schizophrenia, the film questions the stability of the traditional nuclear family. This approach highlights the complexity of domestic life and parental roles.

Does On My Own include disability representation?

Good

Schizophrenia is a key driver of the plot, highlighting the challenges of living with mental illness. This centers the narrative on the complexities of neurodivergence.

Present on Screen

The film offers a nuanced portrayal of mental illness by focusing on schizophrenia.
The transnational setting across multiple countries disrupts a typical homogeneous Western narrative.
It challenges traditional family structures by showing a parent as a figure of instability.

Limited or Absent

The film does not include explicit representation of LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisgender identities.
Details about the racial and ethnic backgrounds of the characters are not clearly defined.
The narrative primarily focuses on mental health issues rather than broader social diversity.

Official Synopsis

Simon Henderson is at boarding school in Canada while his father works in Hong Kong, and his mother lives in England. When his parents visit him in the holidays, Simon discovers that his mother has schizophrenia.

How are these scores produced? →