Otoko is a famous painter who, as a teenager, was seduced by the married novelist Oto. She became pregnant, lost her baby, and was then abandoned by him. Years later, Otoko is living with her pupil and lesbian lover Keiko, when the ageing Oto reappears in her life. Jealous of Otoko’s lingering feelings for her former lover, Keiko hatches a plot to punish Oto for his past mistakes. Released in 1965, With Beauty and Sorrow unites two major offscreen talents: Japanese New Wave director Masahiro Shinoda, and acclaimed novelist Yasunari Kawabata, who wrote the source material. Exquisite cinematography and evocative use of the Kyoto locations conjure up a claustrophobic feel in this classic tale of vengeance and obsessive love.