Momma’s Man, which premiered at the Library Center Theatre yesterday, takes the concept of a momma’s boy one step further. In his third feature and Festival debut, writer-director Azazel Jacobs tells the story of Mikey (Matt Boren), a married father who visits his bohemian parents in lower Manhattan and can’t quite bear to leave. As he enjoys his mother’s cooking, plays songs of teenaged angst on his guitar, and reads comics, his life in Los Angeles crumbles. After the premiere, Azazel Jacobs, accompanied by his parents Flo and Ken Jacobs – who also play his parents in the film – and several other members of the cast and crew, fielded questions about his cinematic exploration of returning to the womb.

Q: Was that really your apartment, and how can Mikey make a major life decision amidst such clutter?

Azazel Jacobs: It’s a 40-year-old set. It took a long time to build. But yeah, it’s the place that my folks still live in, that I was raised in.

Q: What was it like directing your folks?

Azazel Jacobs: Believe it or not, I actually didn’t write the first bunch of drafts for them. The first time I started writing was really for the place, and then at some point, I just started realizing that [they were] the only ones that I could picture in this place. Shooting in order, which we did, was definitely a big help in directing this, in letting them know what’s going on and also easing into it. And I felt like as Mikey should be getting closer to the folks, Matt and my parents really were. And also I think for my folks just seeing Matt act – I don’t know if it taught them a lot, but it showed them a lot.

Ken Jacobs: It was strange to be directed. But I guess it helped to be in our own place. And the movie was shot around us doing the things we normally do. So that made it easier.

Q: How autobiographical is it?

Azazel: I know what to show of myself and how to hide and how I want to present myself. I think one of the biggest things is that I have a sister that really has had a huge impact in my life. You know, I definitely do remember at a certain age being embarrassed of my house and embarrassed of my parents and everything.

Ken: I mean, there is a reality of Aza growing up at the house and having his friends live in different kinds of places. And we were not normal. His place wasn’t normal.

Azazel: I remember thinking, ‘If I just had carpet, I’d be stoked.’

Q: Do you like Mikey? I had a hard time liking him.

Azazel: What my films are for me is a process of learning how to like these people, and more than liking someone, understanding them. Do I have to think this person is a good person or not? Do I have to cheer for him? Not really. But I do want to have an understanding of that person, and that’s really the drive.