The Dark Maidens

(Ankoku joshi, 暗黒女子)

Set in an academy for daughters of the rich and powerful, this murder mystery involves six girls with a dark secret. Literature club chairman Itsumi Shiraishi (Marie Iitoyo), has fallen to her death from the school roof. Rumours soon circulate that one of the members of the literature club is the culprit. New chairman and friend of the victim, Sayuri Sumikawa (Fumika Shimizu), holds a meeting and asks each member to recount their whereabouts at the time of Itsumi’s death. Who is telling a lie and what really happened to Itsumi?

Adapted by prolific anime screenwriter Mari Okada (The Anthem of The Heart and Anohana), this unusual “of school” film is filled with betrayal and deception.

2017/105 min/English Subtitles

暗黒女子

清楚な女子高生たちが通う聖母マリア女子高等学院。ある日、学院の経営者の娘で、全校生徒の憧れの的であった白石いつみが謎の死を遂げる。校舎の屋上から転落死したのだが、事故か自殺か、それとも他殺なのか? やがて、いつみの所属していた文学サークルのメンバーの誰かによって殺されたという噂が広がり始める。予想外な結末が待つ学園ミステリー。

監督: 耶雲哉治
出演: 清水富美加、飯豊まりえ、清野菜名

(Special thanks to Eikoku News Digest)