True Mothers

True Mothers, directed by the critically acclaimed Naomi Kawase and released in 2020, offers a deeply poignant and humanistic portrayal of maternal love, adoption, and the complexity inherent in familial relationships. The film is a tribute to a wealth of emotions that outlines the universality of motherhood, irrespective of biological ties. It stars Hiromi Nagasaku, Arata Iura, and Aju Makita, who deliver heart-rending performances, adding depth and vivacity to the storytelling.

True Mothers is an adaptation of Mizuki Tsujimura's novel - a narrative encapsulating an emotionally charged voyage of two Japanese women. These characters are intricately intertwined by threads of love, longing, and sentiment, making the storyline distinctive. Hiromi Nagasaku plays Satoko Kurihara, a woman who leads a comfortable yet unfulfilled life with her husband Kiyokazu (Arata Iura). The couple yearns for a child, and after struggling with infertility, decide to proceed with adoption. They resolve their parental void by embracing a baby boy through a well-regarded, albeit unconventional, adoption agency named Baby Baton.

However, this seemingly peaceful existence is interrupted when a teenage girl, Hikari Katakura (played by Aju Makita), proclaims to be the biological mother of their adopted son - a claim that is fortified by a heart-wrenching backstory, encapsulating concealment, societal judgment, teenage pregnancy, and parental pressure. The film meticulously explores the predicament enveloping these women from divergent backgrounds who are bound together by an intangible umbilical cord of affection.

A significant aspect of True Mothers is its narrative structure, which is extraordinarily straightforward, but unfolds slowly, like an onion, revealing layers of emotional complexity. The film doesn't merely focus on the dyad of adoption, but also delves into the societal outlook towards it, the prejudice against teenage mothers, and the tussle of instinctual versus adoptive motherhood. The plot is disseminated in two halves, the first being dedicated to Satoko’s perspective, while the second half provides an intense portrayal of Hikari’s past, establishing the reasons behind her decisions and her struggle.

Director Naomi Kawase’s prowess is evident in the nuanced subtlety with which she handles the potentially controversial subject matter. She steers clear from cliche-induced dramatic confrontations, favoring the slow-burn exploration of the character's internal landscape with precision and tenderness. Despite this focus, the film refrains from bypassing the societal implications and scrutiny cast upon these women due to their unusual circumstances.

The tone of True Mothers is underlined by a sense of nostalgia that runs throughout the film – reflections back to the time when happiness was untouched by the claws of complexity. Hiromi Nagasaku’s portrayal of Satoko provides a riveting exploration of maternal love that transcends biology, and Aju Makita impresses with her mature understanding of a character much beyond her age. Arata Iura provides a convincing portrayal of an eager and supportive spouse.

On the technical front, the cinematography and the atmospheric shots immerse the audience fully into the emotional depths of the narrative. The blues and the brights are juxtaposed carefully to mirror the shifting emotional tones and the internal climates of the characters. The film's music, appended with quiet silences, punctuates the narrative, delivering an auditory experience that complements the visual narrative.

True Mothers is not merely a film; it is an emotional expedition bringing to light the struggles, dilemmas, and deep-seated desires of these women, playing out within the realms of societal norms and personal choices. It serves as an exploration of the subtleties and immensity of maternal love, with each mother asserting a rightful claim on the child. It is an intimate and delicate portrayal where traces of melodrama are replaced by deep empathy, resilience, and human connect. The film's appeal goes beyond standard cinematic entertainment; it encourages introspection about idealistic norms of motherhood, concluding that the soul of motherhood is love, irregardless of its biological origin.

In its essence, True Mothers is a cinematic embodiment of true, unabashed, and unfiltered love - a resonating testament to maternal compassion and a tribute to all mothers, biological or not. This emotional journey, through the lives of Satoko and Hikari, serves to remind us that motherhood isn't merely a biological attribute, but an all-consuming bond - a form of unwavering and unconditional love and affection.