Onna bakari no yoru

In 1956, the Japanese government passed the so-called Prostitution Prevention Law, which functioned as an attempt to contain prostitution, which had been legal and state regulated until that point. These measures included setting up “rehabilitation centers” for sex workers to help them reintegrate into society. Kuniko (Chisako Hara) has passed through such an institution and now started to work at a greengrocer’s. When her past comes to light, her employer start to chase her, while his wife treats her with contempt. Kuniko’s new start also fails at her next place of work. “It’s not the prostitute who is debauched, but rather the situation in which she lives” (Austrian Film Museum). In ONNA BAKARI NO YORU, Tanaka doesn’t just set her sights on the discrimination of prostitutes within society, but also creates a multi-layered portrait of female community. (mg)