Midnight Swan

Midnight Swan(ミッドナイトスワン, Middonaito Suwan) is a 2020 Japanese drama film directed by Eiji Uchida, who also wrote the screenplay. It received nine nominations at the 44th Japan Academy Film Prize, including Director of the Year and Screenplay of the Year, winning for Picture of the Year, Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, and Newcomer of the Year.

Plot

Nagisa is a transgender woman. Growing up as a man in Hiroshima, Nagisa faces prejudice and is ostracized by society. She leaves Hiroshima and lives in Tokyo where she works as a dancer in a nightclub. Her distant niece, Ichika, is a middle school student neglected by her mother. After being kicked out of her home, Ichika travels to Tokyo and starts living with Nagisa. Although initially reluctant, Nagisa takes Ichika in and eventually starts to care for the shy, isolated child. In return, Ichika slowly starts to open up, helped in part by her love of ballet.

Cast

• Tsuyoshi Kusanagi as Nagisa
• Misaki Hattori as Sakurada Ichika
• Asami Mizukawa as Saori Sakurada
• Tomorowo Taguchi as Mama Yoko
• Sei Matobu as Mika Katahira
• Shunsuke Tanaka as Nagisa's colleague
• Kaito Yoshimura as Nagisa's colleague
• Reo Sanada as Nagisa's colleague
• Rinka Ueno as Rin
• Eriko Sato as Rin's mother
• Yusuke Hirayama as Rin's father
• Toshie Negishi as Nagisa's mother

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 5 critics' reviews are positive.

Writing for The Japan Times, Mark Schilling gave the movie a positive review, calling it "a gloomy drama, with moments of realism and grace". Matthew Hernon of the same publication praised the portrayal of transgender issues and individualism through dance.

Accolades

External links

• (in Japanese)
• at IMDb