Based on a true story, Yoshiko and Yuriko relates the journey and great love affair of Yoshiko, who was a renowned translator of Russian literature and drama, and Yuriko, who was a feminist novelist and great activist of the post-war democratic literature movement. Both have left huge marks on Japanese literary history. The two women shared a strong attraction to each other from their first meeting and enjoyed a powerful love affair. Yoshiko reveals that she's an out lesbian, whilst Yuriko is married (not altogether happily) to a well-known scholar - a situation she can't walk away from with ease.
Acting
Nahana and Toi: restraint that screams.
Direction
Hamano's 40+ years of queer cinema experience shows.
Writing
Dialogue sharper than the period setting suggests.
Director
Sachi Hamano
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Both women were real figures in Japan's post-war leftist literary circles; Miyamoto's husband was the famous critic Kenji Miyamoto, making this a very public secret.
Director Sachi Hamano deliberately cast stage actors to capture the theatrical rhythm of 1930s-40s Japanese literary salon culture.
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