From eroticism and body horror to subtle drama and offbeat humor, Woman of Photographs, is something of a direct descendent to David Cronenberg.

A misogynic photographer discovers for the first time in his life the joys of loving a woman, this one confused about her self-identity and self-esteem, by helping her in her perceptions of herself with his retouching skills. One day, middle-aged photographer and retouching artist Kai encounters Kyoko, a beautiful woman and model with a huge and ugly scar on her body. She asks Kai if he can erase the scar in her photographs of herself and create a perfect and flawless body by his retouching skills. 

Kyoko is fascinated by her new perfect looks in her photographs. At the same time, she is hesitant to show the world and her fans her ideal figures as in her photographs or to show her real self, scars and all. She is torn between the two selves and falls into confusion. Kai feels that only he can salvage Kyoko from her anguishes, and he is determined to love her at all costs, even if it means death to him.

Woman of the Photographs looks at how body image has become something fake and relationships more distant. Beautifully filmed, and engagingly acted, it's a curious, rewarding watch.

Co-presented by Center for Asian American Media