The Women

Misaki lives in a rural town situated among lush, green mountains beneath a clear blue sky. Despite graduating from a university in Tokyo, she was unable to find the job she hoped for due to the lack of employment opportunities that befell her generation. Just about everything has gone badly for her and now she is on the verge of turning 40. However, she has dreams of marrying her aging, handicapped mother Mitsuko's care worker, Naoki, who pays visits to their home. Her clandestine meetings with Naoki are one of Misaki's oases from Mitsuko's harsh day-to-day verbal abuse. The other is the bee farm run by her childhood friend Kaori. The honey Kaori diligently works to make is sweet, mild, and soothing. But then Misaki is cruelly betrayed by Naoki. And Kaori abruptly dies. These events drive Misaki's heart to the brink of bursting. "Why did she have to die? "

Directed by Nobuteru Uchida, The Women leans on a strong ensemble — Yukiko Shinohara, Kana Kurashina, Atsuko Takahata — 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 drama titles of 2021.