Director Kiju Yoshida's "Kagami No Onnatachi" ("Women in the Mirror"), about a woman exposed to radiation in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, was shown Thursday at the 55th Cannes International Film Festival.
The film attempts to show the psychological impact of World War II and the 1945 atomic bombing through the life of the woman, her missing daughter -- who has lost her memory -- and a granddaughter.
The film, featuring actress Mariko Okada, Yoshida's wife, as the protagonist, was enthusiastically received by the audience.
Yoshida, well-known in France, said, "I was concerned whether the theme of the atomic bombing would be perceived as something real by people overseas, but I was relieved by the audience's response."
The problem of "identity among Japanese women, which I attempted to portray, appears to have been understood by many people," Yoshida said.
The film is scheduled to open in Japan this fall.