Psychological thriller Mother’s Instinct is currently making rounds around the world, and fans are eager to know if it is based on a true story. The movie revolves around two housewives named Alice and Celine who are also best friends. However, a devastating tragedy ends up disrupting the peace between them. In the aftermath of the accident, Celine, now a grieving mother, begins to develop feelings of distrust, paranoia, and anxiety. But does this story find its origins in real life?
Here are all the available details regarding the source material for the film.
Is Mother’s Instinct based on a true story and real events?
Simply put, Mother’s Instinct is a work of fiction and is not based on a true story.
Based on a novel, the movie starring Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain draws inspiration from a 2018 French film helmed by Olivier Masset-Depasse. The English remake was initially intended to be directed by Masset-Depasse himself. However, the Belgian filmmaker ended up exiting the project three days before the commencement of shooting. Consequently, the director of photography, Benoit Delhomme, chimed in to fill in Masset-Depasse’s shoes.
In an interview with A Rabbit’s Foot, Delhomme conveyed his experience about working on Mother’s Instinct, which is not the retelling of a true story. He stated that one of his major contributions to the film was to work on the anxiety of the lead characters. Delhomme, who is a father himself, leveraged his real-life parenting experiences to construct Anne Hathaway’s lamenting character.
Interestingly, the movie also served as the directorial debut for the French filmmaker.
Is Mother’s Instinct based on a novel?
Mother’s Instinct is indeed based on a fiction novel and not a true story. A French book by Barbara Abel titled Derrière la haine serves as the source material for the 94-minute feature.
Abel’s writings were initially transformed into a film by Olivier Masset-Depasse, who released a French version of the aforementioned novel. 2024’s Mother’s Instinct serves as an amalgamation of the two, with Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain occupying the lead roles.
The two American actresses are joined by Caroline Lagerfelt, Anders Danielsen Lie, and Josh Charles, who round off a rather short supporting cast.
