SUBPLOTLY VIDEO — GRAND ST
--:--:--
ALL SHELVES·
True Mothers (2020) poster

True Mothers

dir. Naomi Kawase · 2020

The experience of love and connection can be profoundly complicated and is often intertwined with loss and sacrifice.

Feature
Found Family
Mood
Melancholic / Contemplative
Look
intimate, naturalistic cinematography with a focus on nuanced expressions and subtle settings
Structure
interweaving timelines and perspectives that gradually reveal deeper emotional truths
Plot

After suffering through a long and unsuccessful series of fertility treatments, Satoko and her husband Kiyokazu make the decision to adopt a child. Six years after adopting a boy they named Asato, Satoko has quit her job to concentrate fully on her husband and son. The family lives a peaceful existence until the arrival of a stranger.

Why watch

"True Mothers" is a poignant exploration of the intricate bonds of motherhood, navigating the delicate terrain between biological and adoptive ties. With an intimate visual style and a melancholic tone, it invites viewers to reflect on the nature of family, belonging, and the unexpected connections that shape our lives.

Cultural context
Japanese societal attitudes towards family and motherhoodcontemporary discussions on adoptionthe emotional landscape of infertilityand the isolation experienced in urban settings

Where this shelves

every shelf · back to the store