Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms

A 2018 anime film and the directorial debut of Mari Okada, blending elements of fantasy and drama. The story follows Maquia, a girl from the Iorph, an immortal race that lives for centuries but avoids contact with the outside world. Their peaceful existence is shattered when the kingdom of Mezarte invades, seeking the secret of their immortality. Separated from her homeland, Maquia stumbles upon an orphaned baby and decides to raise him as her own, despite the fact that she ages differently from humans. The film explores themes of motherhood, loneliness, and the inevitability of farewells through a touching and emotional narrative.