Naomi Kawase’s latest has secured distribution stateside. Variety reports that Film Movement scored U.S. rights to “True Mothers,” the Japanese auteur’s Oscar hopeful.

Part of Cannes 2020’s Official Selection, the family drama is written by Kawase and based on Mizuki Tsujimura’s bestselling novel of the same name. “True Mothers” tells the story of two mothers on a collision course. Satoko (Hiromi Nagasaku) and her husband raised the baby the teenaged Hikari (Aju Makita) put up for adoption. When Hikari returns, hoping to reconnect with her biological son, the life Satoko built for herself and her family is upended.

Japan selected “True Mothers” as its pick for the International Feature category at the 2021 edition of the Academy Awards. The film screened at the Toronto, San Sebastian, and Warsaw film festivals, among others.

A theatrical release for “True Mothers” is being planned for 2021, with a home entertainment and digital platform release to follow.

“We’re thrilled to acquire Naomi’s latest masterwork, a thoughtful drama that morphs and veers into a darker arena,” said Michael Rosenberg, president of Film Movement. “After becoming the youngest Camera d’or winner for her first feature, ‘Suzuku,’ [Kawase has] carved out a place as one of Japan’s most prolific and well-regarded filmmakers and we’re excited to share ‘True Mothers’ with U.S. audiences in the coming year.”

Kawase’s other credits include “Vision,” “Radiance,” and “Sweet Bean.”