Woman of The Photographs
Directed by Takeshi Kushida
Written by Takeshi Kushida
Starring Toshiaki Inomata, Toki Koinuma, Hideki Nagai, Itsuki Otaki
Rating: Unrated 
Runtime: 89 minutes
In select theaters February 3rd and comes to VOD February 7th, 2023

Content Warning: Depictions of body dysmorphia

by Tori Potenza, Staff Writer

My photo will become my real self. 

We all know the discussions around the negative effects of social media. People rely on it more and more as we become a society where many creatives need to also work as full-time content creators. Your content, face, image, everything is out there to be displayed and criticized by the masses. So is it any real surprise that so many of us are depressed and critical of our image? Takeshi Kushida’s debut feature takes a tender look at our culture of physical obsession through the eyes of a photographer and the influencer who captures his eye. While these kinds of stories are not new to film, Woman of the Photographs makes this story much more personal with its characters and the ways they utilize photo editing in their everyday lives, and the ways it can help and harm their delicate psyche. 

One of the most interesting aspects of this movie is how it is being marketed. The distribution company, Dread, refers to it as a “Thrilling Psychological Horror Debut,” and the poster alludes to a bloodsoaked erotic romance. These aspects are certainly present in Woman of the Photographs, but the tone of the movie is more aligned with a quirky, dramatic, romantic film. Often the movie feels like a dream, showcasing dream sequences or utilizing changes in light and sound effects to illustrate what is going on in the character’s mind. There is a warmth to Woman of the Photographs that one would not expect from something described as a psychological thriller. While the marketing and experience watching the movie did not completely align, it is still an engaging and beautiful movie to watch. It centers on its tender portrayal of people working through various forms of grief and finding companionship.

This does not mean the movie is without its uncomfortable or horrific moments. The portrayal of body dysmorphia is played very much like a body horror. Often we see close ups of Kyoko (Itsuki Otaki) picking at her skin and her wounds as she imagines what her online followers will think of her and what kinds of comments and likes she will get depending on what she posts. Kushida utilizes sound design to enhance things like the sounds of scratching or chewing. As the lead Kai (Hideki Nagai) edits a photograph for a female client, the sound of the clicking and erasing tools he uses become completely overwhelming. This highlights how, after so many changes to the image, the woman looks more like a cartoon character than a human being. 

Kai’s obsession with bugs and nature photography also adds an interesting element that enhances many of the story's themes. While spending time with Kai and his pet praying mantis, we draw comparisons between the natural world of life, death, and sacrifice. By comparing his relationship to the deadly courtship male and female praying mantises engage in, we learn more about his views on women and love. Women want their photos edited to make their eyes bigger, their jaws sharpened, and other features he associates with his beloved bugs. Given how little dialogue Kai has, these elements help us know his character, and Nagai is able to deliver subtleties in his quiet performance and body language that give his character depth without hefty lines. 

While this movie might not be what people expect based on the summaries and marketing, it is a movie that meditates on human and personal themes. Its small cast delivers memorable performances that give the movie a realistic and grounded feel, even when the sound design and effects give it more dramatic and cinematic looks.  Woman of the Photographs is a movie that will resonate with many viewers and hopefully make us feel more connected as we wade through the same sort of personal and bodily anxieties.