In UME, the focus is on a 17-year-old Japanese American girl navigating life in present-day New York City. Ume discovers she is pregnant and decides to have an abortion. Unlike traditional abortion films that often highlight the challenges of accessing or deciding on abortions, Ume’s obstacles are mostly internal. Her journey involves overcoming the stigma, shame, and fear of disappointment associated with abortion.
At the end of the film, as Ume runs along the river, her arms grow feathers, turning into wings. She lifts upward, the paths ahead multiply—different versions of her future—they stretch out, longer and longer. She closes her eyes, now able to fly blindly, onward.