©Courtesy of Japan Cuts
Crafting a heroine who’s determined to redefine women’s value in society is becoming a major allure in contemporary Asian cinema. The new drama, A Girl Named Ann, is the latest Japanese feature that’s driven by genuine social conscience. The movie emphasizes how female protagonists are just as deserving of redemption as their male counterparts.
Filmmaker Yu Irie wrote and directed the project. The filmmaker is presenting the feature in Japanese with English subtitles. For the first time in his career, he based the script on a true story. As a result, he turned the movie into a captivating portrayal of people who live on the margins of society.
Yuumi Kawai played the titular character in A Girl Named Ann. The performer won the Japan Academy Film Prize in the Best Actress category for her role. Jiro Sato and Goro Inagaki joined the lead actress on screen.
A Girl Named Ann follows the titular teenage dropout as she attempts to rebuild her life. Annyearns to find a new purpose in her life amid the abuse and addiction she experiences. The protagonist’s alcoholic mother, Harumi Kagawa (Aoba Kawai), repeatedly targets her during their struggle for survival.
Ann believes the prospects for her future are dim, as she never finished elementary school. Her mother forced her into prostitution as a pre-teens, and a few years later, she developed a drug addiction.
©Courtesy of Japan Cuts
As a result, Ann finds solace in the helpfulness of the corrupt, yet well-meaning, Detective Tatara (Jirô Sataô). The policeman encourages the protagonist to pursue an education and get a job in order to improve her life.
But Ann soon begins to question his motives in helping her succeed. She doesn’t believe anyone would want to help her, as the rest of society has shunned her aspirations to improve her life.
Irie’s storytelling and direction make A Girl Named Ann a testament to ostracized young women. The filmmaker shows that many of these women have maintained individual perseverance after they’re condemn for major societal failures.
The filmmaker interviewed, and also covered the trial of, the real-life detective who served as the basis for the character of Tatara. Irie’s dedication to also developing the characters’ arcs together show the impact of isolation and bureaucracy on people who are struggling to survive. As a result, the drama realistically highlights a unique aspect of Japanese society that’s often hidden from the world.
©Courtesy of Japan Cuts
Yuumi Kawai gave an impressive lead performance in the movie’s eponymous role. The actress embraced the struggles Ann experienced as she searched for meaning, purpose and validation in her life.
Whether showing how the protagonist strives to escape her mother’s abuse or believe that Detective Tatara truly wants to help her, the actress is a captivating presence on screen. As a result, the character becomes a prime example of why women deserve to be considered just as capable of emotional and physical transformation as their male counterparts.
The film’s cinematographer, Hideho Urata, captured Yuumi Kawai’s genuine portrayal and translation of the real-life story on screen. As the camera sweeps across the isolated cityscape where Ann strives to recover during the peak of COVID, Urata utilized a well-balanced mixture of camera shots. Through his interweaving of close-ups and shots filmed from a distance with blurred objects in front of the frame, the fictionalized narrative is presented as a transformative documentary.
A Girl Named Ann proves its worth as the latest Japanese feature that appeals to the genuine social conscience. The drama emphasizes how female protagonists, similar to the title character, are just as deserving of redemption as their male counterparts. Yuumi Kawai embraced the conflicts Ann experiences as she searched for value in her life in a gritty, realistic world shot by Urata. Overall, the movie emphasizes how female protagonists are just as deserving of redemption as their male counterparts.
©Courtesy of Japan Cuts
A Girl Named Ann had its North American Premiere on July 19 during Japan Cuts.
Overall: A
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