Senior Citizen Kane: Young Mothers

The Dardenne brothers (Rosetta; Two Days, One Night) once again bring audiences a moving portrayal of real lives with their latest social-realist drama Young Mothers, which took home the Best Screenplay prize at Cannes earlier this year. 

Following five adolescent mothers living together at a maternal support home in Belgium, the film is a true-to-life portrait of the struggles faced by these young women living on or near the margins of society. The directors spent time in one of these state-run facilities in their home country to research how it runs, the people it helps and the social workers who make it possible, making sure to stay as true to reality as possible. Their in-depth knowledge of the topic and compassionate approach to the people they are portraying results in a film that is not only deeply affecting, but one that is also detailed, sympathetic and nuanced. 

From drug addiction to precarious living situations, these women must face the challenges of their situation individually, but living together in this communal home gives them the tools, support and the community they need in order to do so.