His films like 'Like Father, Like Son' and 'Nobody Knows' intimately explore maternal absence, loss, and the possibility of redemption through familial bonds.

Works such as 'I, Daniel Blake' and 'Kes' examine how systemic failures force parental abandonment while exploring paths toward human dignity and redemption.

Her films 'We Need to Talk About Kevin' and 'You Were Never Really Here' probe maternal guilt, estrangement, and the haunting possibility of reconciliation.