FOSTER

fosterage (n.)

1610s, "the rearing of another's child as one's own," from foster (v.) + -age.

When characters are talking to Starling (Jodie Foster), they often talk directly to the camera. 

When she is talking to them, she is always looking slightly off-camera. 

Director Jonathan Demme has explained that this was done so as the audience would directly experience her point-of-view, but not theirs, hence encouraging the audience to more readily identify with her.

"Not a lot of people know what it feels like to be angry, in your bones. I mean, they understand, foster parents, everybody understands, for awhile. 

Then they want the angry little kid to do something he knows he can't do, move on. 

So after awhile they stop understanding. They send the angry kid to a boys home. 

I figured it out too late. You gotta learn to hide the anger, practice smiling in the mirror. It's like putting on a mask."

foster (v.)

Old English *fostrian "to supply with food, nourish, support," from fostor "food, nourishment, bringing up," from Proto-Germanic *fostra-, from extended form of PIE root *pa- "to feed."

Meaning "to bring up a child with parental care" is from c. 1200; that of "to encourage or help grow" is early 13c. of things; 1560s of feelings, ideas, etc. Old English also had the word as an adjective meaning "in the same family but not related," in fostorfæder, fostorcild, fostormodoretc. 

Related: Fostered; fostering.