The Insect Woman (1963): cast, story & where to watch
1963 · Film · ★ 7.4
Released in 1963, The Insect Woman is a drama film directed by Shōhei Imamura, running about 123 minutes. “She lives by instinct with no sense of right or wrong.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. A woman, Tome, is born to a lower class family in Japan in 1918. The title refers to an insect, repeating its mistakes, as in an infinite circle. Imamura, with this metaphor, introduces the life of Tome, who keeps trying to change her poor life.
Who’s in it. The Insect Woman stars Emiko Aizawa as Rui, Masumi Harukawa as Midori, Sachiko Hidari as Tome Matsuki and Emiko Higashi as Kane, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.4/10, The Insect Woman has been warmly received by audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Criterion Channel. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Insect Woman page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Insect Woman tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Insect Woman (1963)?
- In US, The Insect Woman is available to stream on Criterion Channel. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Insect Woman worth watching?
- The Insect Woman holds an audience score of 7.4 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in The Insect Woman?
- The Insect Woman stars Emiko Aizawa, Masumi Harukawa, Sachiko Hidari, Emiko Higashi and Daizaburo Hirata.
- When was The Insect Woman released?
- The Insect Woman was released in 1963, with a runtime of about 123 minutes.