maternal regret

Her films like *You Were Never Really Here* and *We Need to Talk About Kevin* unflinchingly explore maternal ambivalence, guilt, and the psychological toll of motherhood.

In *4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days* and *Graduation*, he examines how maternal sacrifice and generational trauma intersect with regret and moral compromise.

Her intimate character studies, particularly in *The Farewell* and *Nomadland*, capture the unspoken grief and longing of mothers navigating impossible choices and loss.