Keiko Kitagawa and Nozomi Morita Shine in Bold Dresses at the Hochi Film Awards

Smiling with relief, they chatted amicably

Dressed in a black gown that boldly revealed her shoulders and white décolletage, holding a glass in one hand while chatting, were the beauties Keiko Kitagawa (39) and Nozomi Morita (29).

On December 15, the awards ceremony for the 50th Hochi Film Awards was held in Tokyo.

“Kitagawa won Best Actress for playing a single mother raising two children while making a living as a drug dealer in the film Night Flower. Morita won Best Supporting Actress for her role as a fighter who works as a sex worker at night in the same movie,” said a film magazine reporter.

Earlier, Morita went on stage to receive a bouquet from presenter Ken Mitsuishi (64), who played the role of the head of a martial arts agency in the film, and said:

“I am truly honored and very happy to receive such a wonderful award today.”

She then added humorously,

“Thank you also for coming, Mitsuishi-san. You played the role where you ran off with the money midway, so we weren’t together until the end, which makes today very special (laughs),”

causing the audience to burst into laughter. She also mentioned Kitagawa:

“I’m extremely happy and proud to stand on the Hochi Film Awards stage today together with Keiko Kitagawa.”

Following this, Kitagawa spoke:

“I want to continue being an actor who can use all my abilities for the sake of the films I work on. I will keep striving to live up to this award.”

At the start of her speech, she also praised Morita:

“I am very happy to receive this award together with Nozomi Morita, who poured her heart into her performance alongside me.”

After their speeches, perhaps relieved, Kitagawa and Morita were seen chatting amiably with glasses in hand, appearing to encourage and congratulate each other.

As for 2026, Kitagawa is set to appear in the film Mirai scheduled for release in May. The story, based on the novel by Kanae Minato, follows a girl, Akiko Saeki, who receives a letter from her future self 20 years later. Kitagawa plays her mother, Fumino Saeki, a woman unable to show love due to abuse from her husband—a challenging role similar to her role in Night Flower.

Meanwhile, Morita will star in the first half of 2027 in the NHK morning drama series Meguru Swan, with filming expected to begin midway through the year. Both actresses, leading figures in Japan’s film and drama industries, are set for an extremely busy 2026.