Director Cella's 'Foul-mouthed Grandma' captures mother's life

Even after his mother passed away, the son's camera did not stop. What began as a way to remember one person's life has evolved into a film spanning 10 years.

From eight years of caregiving to the three years and six months following his mother's passing, Director Cella captured the traces of their shared life in the independent documentary 'Foul-mouthed Grandma.'

Scheduled for release on November 4, 'Foul-mouthed Grandma' follows the director's childhood, his mother's life, and the final moments they spent together. The film is set in locations that hold the family's memories, including the 'Foul-mouthed Grandma' restaurant in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, as well as Pocheon, Dongducheon, and Soyosan Mountain.

During his childhood, the director's family lived in a tent at the foot of the rocky Soyosan Mountain. The memory of his mother, who had to build a life in a tent during her youth, eventually transitioned into art. As her ability to communicate diminished with age, the colored pencils she held became a new medium for conversation.

The film intercuts the present life of Cella, who is left alone after his mother's death, with records of the final years they spent together. The natural landscapes of his childhood, the drawings left by his mother, and the precious time shared between mother and son are all carefully captured on film.

As a painter himself, Cella not only directed but also appeared in the film, laying his family history bare before the camera. The production spanned nearly 10 years, sparked not by a grand plan, but by a single colored pencil handed to his mother as her speech began to fade due to old age.

'Foul-mouthed Grandma' was officially selected and screened at DOC NYC in New York in November 2025, and was selected for the Niagara Canada International Film Festival in May 2026. It is also set to screen at the Fine Arts Film Festival in California.

To Cella, 'Foul-mouthed Grandma' is both a film and a long-form tribute to his mother. We spoke with him about the film's origins, the decade-long production, and the memories captured in the work.

Q) What kind of work is the documentary 'Foul-mouthed Grandma' releasing this November?

A) It is a modern-day elegy that fully captures my mother's life through eight years of caregiving, three years and six months of modern-day 'simyosari' (living near a grave), and a 10-year production period.

Q) What was the starting point that led to a 10-year production?

A) Handing colored pencils to my mother, whose communication was decreasing due to old age, led to an unexpected artistic connection, and I wanted to share this with the world.

Q) The colored pencils led to the film production. What meaning do your mother's drawings hold in the work?

A) I focused on showing the sublime family love between mother and son by harmonizing my mother's simple drawings with my modern sensibilities.

Q) You run the 'Foul-mouthed Grandma' restaurant in Pocheon. What does this space mean to you?

A) By running the Foul-mouthed Grandma restaurant, I continue my mother's culinary legacy and serve warm meals to customers, while simultaneously gaining artistic inspiration.

Q) The title, the restaurant, and your mother's life are all connected. What is the most important message you wanted to convey?

A) That love does not fade even as time passes, and that it serves as the source that heals all wounds.

Q) Clocks and mirrors appear in the work. What meaning did you imbue in these two subjects?

A) Through the movement of the clock and the mirror, I wanted to evoke the value of love that remains unchanged by time. I hoped it would encourage the audience to reflect on their own lives and precious relationships.

Q) Looking back on the 10-year process and international screenings, what is your most memorable moment as a director?

A) Being selected as one of only five works out of approximately 2,300 competing entries at DOC NYC, and having it screened as the closing film, was my most overwhelming moment.

Q) You are active as both a painter and a director. What is the most important value in your artistic work?

A) I believe true art comes from the sincere recording of life, and above all, love and relationships are paramount.

Q) What are your plans following the release of 'Foul-mouthed Grandma'?

A) I hope to deliver a sense of resonance to the audience through this completed documentary and plan to continue various artistic activities.

Q) This is a work completed after a long time documenting your mother's life. What would you like to say to the audience?

A) I hope everyone who watches this film finds comfort deep within their hearts.

What began with a single colored pencil has become a documentary after 10 years of recording. From the slopes of Soyosan Mountain to the restaurant in Pocheon, the memories of his mother and their final moments are preserved in 'Foul-mouthed Grandma.' The film will meet audiences on November 4.