NZIFF: Young Mothers (1)

The Dardenne brothers’ return with a deeply affecting drama exploring the lives of five teen mothers. Hopes and fears steer the young women towards bettering their lives for themselves and their children.

Young Mothers examines the lives of underprivileged teenagers as they come to terms with motherhood for the first time. Living together temporarily in a group home, they are taught how to care for their babies, while grappling with very different personal circumstances. The Dardenne brothers treat the characters with delicate respect while humanising the tumultuous reality that often comes with teenage motherhood.

Jessica, raised in an orphanage, cannot imagine abandoning her child and desperately seeks closure from her birth mother. Julie considers giving up her daughter for adoption, yet her own troubled mother wishes to raise the child to atone for her past mistakes. Brought up by an alcoholic mother, Perla dreams of a stable family, but her delinquent boyfriend wants nothing to do with her or their child. While Ariane has the privilege of a loving partner, both are recovering drug addicts which presents its own challenges.

The film emphasises that while motherhood changes a woman’s life, it is not the single defining aspect of her identity – despite their circumstances, the young women aspire for the future and want the best not only for their children, but also themselves. — Madison Marshall

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