True Mothers

A well-off Tokyo couple, undergoing frustrating fertility treatments, decides to adopt Asato, an offspring of immature adolescent love. Six years later, Asato’s young birth mother appears out of the blue, regretful of past mistakes, striving not to be erased from her child’s life. Skillfully weaving timelines, narratives, and genres—from family drama to teenage romance, social realism, and delicate touches of a thriller—this heartwarming study of characters delves into the notions of family and motherhood.