True Mothers

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True Mothers

2020

2h 20m

Drama

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Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

45 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

An adopted son's mother receives an unexpected visit from the boy's biological mother.

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Critics Consensus

True Mothers uses an intractable conflict to explore the bonds of parenthood with director/co-writer Naomi Kawase's usual sensitivity and grace.

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Simran Hans

Observer (UK)

Apr 18, 2021

3/5

[A] tender, compassionate drama about the complexities of motherhood.

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Clarisse Loughrey

Independent (UK)

Apr 16, 2021

3/5

Kawase's cast embrace the power of small gestures, especially Makita.

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Raphael Abraham

Financial Times

Apr 14, 2021

3/5

Delicately, the director peels away the layers of propriety and eventually the emotional heart of the movie does reveal itself and make its presence felt - it's just that Kawase takes a circuitous, scenic route to get there.

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Marya E. Gates

Cool People Have Feelings, Too. (Substack)

Feb 13, 2024

Kawase films with a gauzy haze, which heightens the moments of hopefulness, and shows the empathetic light with which she paints their world.

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Carla Monfort

Espinof

Jun 5, 2023

3.5/5

True Mothers uses melodrama to dig into the meaning of motherhood and spins the narrative structure to soberly and sensitively show the characters' internal dilemmas. [Full review in Spanish]

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Wilson Kwong

easternKicks.com

Feb 12, 2022

In Naomi Kawases True Mothers, what couldve easily been a tearjerker of a melodrama, is instead a tender and surprisingly restrained tale of motherhood.

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Kyle M

@RT77296778 Mar 18, 2026

Borderline nonlinear that disjoints its prolonged premise to comprehend both plots’ chronological routineness, but the performers themselves were able to extract the true meaning that’s been underlyingly weaving through the two-sided story in expressing instinctual parenthood and affective upbringing as the sympathetically effective thematic means despite the deliverance falling short. (B)

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Aluna U

@RT14704568 Sep 24, 2025

True Mothers, adapted from Mizuki Tsujimura’s novel Asa ga Kuru, offers a deeply emotional exploration of motherhood through the intersecting lives of Satoko and Hikari, two women connected by a child and bound by sacrifice. Instead of focusing solely on custody conflict, the film thoughtfully portrays different forms of maternal love—both from the woman who gives birth and the one who raises the child. With strong performances, elegant visuals, and a non-linear yet clear narrative, the film leaves a lasting impression about the true meaning of being a mother. Read the full review here: (Indonesian version : alunauwie.com)

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Apr 29, 2021

There are not so many movies that leave a mark - a lasting impact... Every aspect of the movie was so deeply thought out and beautifully created. A movie I'll never forget.

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Apr 8, 2021

A very strong film. It is wonderfully moving and carries you away in contemplation over the characters misjudgments and decisions.

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Naomi Kawase

Director

Arata Iura

Kiyokazu Kurihara

Hiromi Nagasaku

Satoko Kurihara

Aju Makita

Hikari Katakura

Reo Sato

Asato Kurihara

Hiroko Nakajima

Takako Katakura

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Synopsis

An adopted son's mother receives an unexpected visit from the boy's biological mother.

Director: Naomi Kawase
Producer: Yumiko Takebe
Screenwriter: Naomi Kawase
Production Co: Kazumo, Kino Films, Kumie, Inc., Kinoshita Group Holdings
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 24, 2021
Runtime: 2h 20m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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