Child abuse is arguably one of the cruelest of crimes. But just as despicable, if not worse, is the all-too common tendency of society to turn a blind eye to evidence of such exploitation.

"Mother" is the story of a woman who responds to an abused girl's silent cries of help. Nao (Yasuko Matsuyuki), an aloof 30-something woman who works reluctantly as an elementary school teacher, notices the unmistakable bruises on her first grade pupil Rena (Mana Ashida). Initially, like everyone else, Nao looks the other way.

But Rena's wretched desperation soon awakens a passion and determination in Nao. Together they skip town and embark on a risky journey pretending to be mother and child. "Mother" is the story of the transformation of a once disenchanted woman who suddenly takes on the role of a parent to a child who is starved for maternal love. The drama probes into the meaning of motherhood in modern society.

"Mother" has received many awards in Japan and has been sold as a scripted format to Turkey, South Korea, Ukraine, France, Thailand, China, Spain, Mongolia, The Philippines, Saudi Arabia and Greece. The Turkish version, "Anne", has been distributed to almost 50 countries around the world.