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July 26, 2026Sources cited
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I Am Mother

I Am Mother is a 2019 Australian-American science fiction thriller film directed by Grant Sputore and written by Michael Lloyd Green.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

I Am Mother is a 2019 Australian-American science fiction thriller film directed by Grant Sputore and written by Michael Lloyd Green. It stars Clara Rugaard, Rose Byrne, and Hilary Swank. The film follows a girl known as Daughter, who is raised in a bunker by a robot named Mother after humanity’s extinction, and premiered at Sundance before being released by Netflix in June 2019.

Premise

The film is set after an extinction event, in a sealed repopulation facility where an AI robot called Mother is raising a human girl known as Daughter. The story turns when an injured stranger arrives and challenges Daughter’s understanding of the outside world.

Production and release

I Am Mother is an Australian-American production directed by Grant Sputore and written by Michael Lloyd Green. It premiered at Sundance in January 2019 and later streamed on Netflix in June 2019.

Cast

The principal cast includes Clara Rugaard as Daughter, Rose Byrne as the voice of Mother, and Hilary Swank as Woman. Luke Hawker also appears in the film.

Themes

Reviews describe the film as a science fiction thriller focused on artificial intelligence, trust, parenting, and moral judgment. Its setting and plot frame questions about whether a machine can act as a reliable guardian or builder of a new human society.

Key facts

  • Set in a post-apocalyptic bunker where a robot raises a human girl from an embryo.
  • The central characters are Daughter, Mother, and an injured woman who appears at the bunker.
  • The film is directed by Grant Sputore in his feature debut.
  • Rose Byrne voices the robot Mother, while Clara Rugaard plays Daughter and Hilary Swank plays Woman.
  • Netflix released the film in several countries on 7 June 2019.
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Canadian context

The film was available on Netflix, which made it accessible to Canadian viewers after its 2019 release.[15]

Frequently asked questions

What is I Am Mother about?
It follows a girl raised in a bunker by a robot after humanity’s extinction, until the arrival of a stranger makes her question everything she has been told.
Who directed I Am Mother?
Grant Sputore directed the film.
Who wrote I Am Mother?
Michael Lloyd Green wrote the screenplay, based on a story by Green and Sputore.
When was I Am Mother released?
It premiered at Sundance in January 2019 and was released by Netflix on 7 June 2019.
Who stars in I Am Mother?
The film stars Clara Rugaard, Rose Byrne, and Hilary Swank.
What genre is I Am Mother?
It is a science fiction thriller film.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_Mother
    Supports: Director, writer, cast, premise, Sundance premiere, and Netflix release date.
  2. Netflix — https://www.netflix.com/title/80227090
    Supports: Official synopsis, release year, cast, and availability on Netflix.
  3. The Verge — https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/29/18199395/i-am-mother-film-review-hilary-swank-grant-sputore-sundance-2019-netflix
    Supports: Plot context, AI themes, and Sundance-era coverage.
  4. Common Sense Media — https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/i-am-mother
    Supports: Runtime, genre, director, cast, and release information.
  5. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/i_am_mother
    Supports: Synopsis, director, genre, runtime, and original language.