By: Mariah Thomas
What is your mother’s identity outside of being your mother? That is the question New York Day Women tackles. It is easy to forget the deeper existence mothers have outside of their children. A popular trend online is to point out “your mom is just a girl, too.” This means the experiences and joys you have can have the same impact on her. This short film, part of 2025’s Tribeca Film Festival line up, explores an appreciation of a mother through the lens of her daughter.
New York Day Women follows Suzette (Natalie Paul) as she spots her mom walking by a coffee shop she was in. She decides to follow her and what she sees surprises her. The film jumps between memories of her mother at home and juxtapositions she witnesses as she strolls the city. For example, Suzette’s mom gets on her about too much sodium at home while enjoying a hot dog on her day out. Shown through the lens of a Haitian-American family, this is an intimate exploration of maternal and generational strength.
Despite having such deep Haitian values, Suzette notes that on this day her mother seemed like any other New York day woman and strolled around that city as if she lived there her entire life. There is a specific moment where the daughter’s confusion turns to appreciation for her mother. That moment stuck with me and highlights the beauty in this short. Suzette reflects on the dreams her mother may have given up for her to have the life she does. Through this simple day, she finds a newfound love and respect for her mother, who we learn at the end is named Josephine (Kathlene Turenne). Her identity outside of motherhood still exists and her daughter gets a beautiful reminder of that.
Written and directed by Fredgy Noël, the short film New York Day Women is a simple slice of comfort. As you follow this daughter along as she spies on her mother, there are many incredible shot choices that highlight those scenes – peering at her mother through trees and viewing the mother in the same way her daughter is. There is an art to the short film that Fredgy Noël absolutely nails in both the directing and writing. You feel as though you are right there with Suzette as she travels through her day. However, at times it feels as if you are Suzette and can take a moment to place yourself in the story with your own reflections.
This is such a short and sweet film that I think most kids should watch to serve as a reminder of their parents personal identity. On a deeper level, it would make for a beautiful watch between mothers and daughters. Tribeca Film Festival shines a light on so many beautiful projects and New York Day Women is surely one to stand out.