Born in Japan and raised in Rome, Jun Ichikawa brings a unique cultural perspective to her roles. In The Mother of Tears (2007), she navigates the eerie world of Dario Argento's horror, contributing to the film's unsettling atmosphere. Fluent in both Japanese and Italian, Ichikawa's multicultural background enriches her performances, making her a noteworthy presence in the realm of cult cinema. Her work in The Mother of Tears exemplifies the blend of horror and artistry that defines the genre.
The Mother of Tears
While excavating outside of a cemetery in the countryside, the workers accidentally find the coffin of the noble Oscar de la Vallée chained to a small urn buried since 1815. Monsignor Brusca orders to rebury the coffin inside the cemetery and sends the sealed urn to the director of the Museum of Ancient Art in Rome, Michael Pierce, who is an expert in mysticism and occult science, to confirm his fears. However, Michael's assistant Giselle Mares decides to open the urn with the student of Art Restoration and Archeology and Michael's lover Sarah Mandy. While opening, she hurts her finger and drops blood on a magic red tunic, resurrecting the evil witch Mater Lachrymarum, who immediately spreads a wave of violence, death and destruction in Rome and attracts witches from everywhere. While visiting Padre Johannes seeking answers, Sarah meets Marta Calussi that tells that Mater Lachrymarum is trying to bring the second age of witches after the falling of Rome with chaos and human despair. Further, Sarah's mother was a powerful white witch that dared to fight against the evil black witch and Sarah has inherited her abilities and is the last hope to stop the evil witch.
