Girls of Dark

Section: Focus Japan
Title: Onna bakari no yoru
Director: Kinuyo Tanaka
Cast: Chisako Hara, Akemi Kita, Chieko Seki, Masumi Harukawa, Misako Tominaga
Duration: 1h 33m
Country: Japan
Year: 1961

In the late 1950s prostitution was banned in Japan and if a woman was found exercising this profession she was sent to a reformatory. This is a story of Kuniko, who is released from the reformatory and tries to build a new life. She starts working as a maid in the household of the Takagis, owners of a grocery store. Mrs. Takagi is satisfied with Kuniko at first, but after she finds out about her past, she starts treating her disdainfully. Will society ever accept Kuniko?