Yokohama Mary

A documentary that pursues the traces of a woman in Yokohama who stood at a street corner as a prostitute for 50 years after the war. An old woman, dressed in an aristocratic dress with her face made up white, quietly stands at a street corner. Known as a beautiful prostitute, her sophisticated behavior, as the years rolled by, became part of the local scenery. Never revealing her real name or her age, the woman preserved her lifestyle as a prostitute. People call her "Yokohama Mary". In winter 1995, Mary disappeared from the street. Rumors spread like an urban legend. There were some people who kept a kind watch for her. One such person is a chanson singer, Nagato Ganjiro, who has very little time left to live because of his illness. As Nagato recalls his memories of Mary, his desire to sing in front of her once more grows.

Directed by Nakazawa Kensuke, Takahiro Nakamura, Yokohama Mary leans on a strong ensemble — Nagato Ganjiro, Godai Michiko, Hideo Mori — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2006.