Write a short summary of what happens in the film

This is a story of cancer patients awaiting their treatment, where their emotions are illustrated as a marathon that suddenly begins with no start line. Women in different places suddenly receive a marathon bib along with their medical examination results. (The figures on their bib show the yearly number of new cancer patients in Japan) They hear a start pistol being fired, and head outside without knowing where to go. The women running in empty roads depict the loneliness of nobody understanding their pain. But as they keep running, they encounter other runners and realize they are not the only ones fighting cancer. They also see their families, doctors, friends supporting them from the roadside. This leads to the message from “tomosnote” (Aflac’s supporting community for cancer patients) that cancer treatment is not a lonely path and should be overcome together with one’s family and those in the same situation.

Cultural/Context information for the jury

Every 1 in 2 people have the chance of getting cancer, and it is now the top cause of death in Japan. According to research by National Cancer Center Japan, 75% of cancer patients feel that cancer treatment is a very lonely path and suffer from psychological stress. Aflac, a cancer insurance company took notice of this situation and developed and launched “tomosnote”, a community supporting cancer patients in September 2018. This platform allows patients that are suffering from the loneliness to connect and share their experience to relieve their troubles and worries of cancer treatment.

Provide the full film script in English.

(Woman A) The story opens on a flashback of a woman. 3 months ago, after putting her child to bed, she heads back to her dining room and finds a medical examination result from a hospital. Oddly, she finds a marathon bib inside the envelope. Looking at the bib, she figures that she has cancer. “My marathon… Suddenly started one day…” We hear a sound of a starting pistol from somewhere. Cutting back to the present, the woman is running through a dim city road where there are no people or cars around, breathing heavily and looking worried. For some reason, she has the bib on her. (Woman B) Flashback scene of Woman B. Winter 6 months ago. She is declared cancer at an infirmary. “…without any advance notice.” She cannot seem to comprehend the situation. She happens to find a bib in her hands. We hear the sound of a starting pistol again. And now, the woman is running through a dim residential area up on a hill, alone. She has the bib on her. (Woman C) Flashback scene of Woman C. 3 months ago. She is alone at her office at night, looking down on her desk. There is a bib placed on the desk. “I didn’t know which way to go” The sound of a starting pistol. The woman running through a dim business district. She looks around a crossing with a worried expression, wondering which way she should go. (Woman D) Flashback scene of Woman D. A parking lot at a hospital at dusk. She is struggling to understand the situation she is put in, staring at her bib. We see a child seat in the back seat of her car. The sound of a starting pistol. “I started to run a lonely road…” She runs through a dark tunnel with an anxious expression. As she keeps running, she is hit by anxiety of her future. The other women feel the same too. The dark and lightless paths that they are running through expresses their emotions. Woman A ”…wondering if I would be able to reach the finish line… “ Woman B ”…wondering whether there really is a ‘finish line’” Woman C ”Am I the only one out here？” Woman D ”…I wondered.” Woman D running through a tunnel. As she reaches the end, she encounters another woman. Could she be feeling the same way? We see other women running in different paths encountering another. They hesitate at first, but start running towards the same direction. And finally, the 4 women encounter each other. They look surprised at first, but gradually feel relieved as they realize that this marathon is not a lonely path. “…I could see that I was not the only one…” They look relieved that they are not alone. They look ahead of them and start running again. As they enter the main street, the number of people running gradually gets bigger. They are a little surprised by the people that join the run with them, but gradually feel more and more relieved. Woman A looks back at the people following her tracks. She feels a lot of emotions running through her, looking at all the people that are in the same situation as herself. She sees a group of men in their late 30s to early 40s. Some in suits, workwear, taxi drivers, cooks. All sorts of people are running with all their might. We see a man with a cramped leg, crouching down on the spot. Another man takes his shoulder, and they start running together. We also see a group of men and women in their 60s. A running crowd of people. They are all looking ahead of them, running with a serious expression. The 4 hero women are encouraged seeing all the people that are placed in the same situation as them. “I was not the only one running. We are all anxious…That’s why we are running together.” People are cheering from the sidewalks (family members, doctors, nurses). These are the people that have been supporting the 4 women with their cancer treatment. The husband of Woman A, holding their child in his arms, cheers for her as he starts to run alongside her. Woman B’s family and doctor also run alongside her, as their encourage her. Woman C also notices a voice from the sidewalks. Her parents, holding their dog in their arms, also cheers for her. The runners take the hands of those in the sidewalk, and they start running together. Staff in Aflac jackets at the water station also cheer the runners on (real Aflac employees are casted). “It’s not just me on this road.” The 4 hero women gradually show a bright and kind expression on their faces. Woman A suddenly stops. She gazes around at the backs of those running past her. The other 3 (Woman B, C, D) look back and smiles at her. There are many people placed in the same situation, running together, encouraging each other. This thought makes her very emotional. Feeling more positive now, she starts running again with a smile, catching up with the other 3. “A place where one can feel they are ‘not alone’” They start to move forward again, step by step, together.