Millennium Actress

When the old film studio closes, journalist Genya Tachibana and his cameraman go to the house of actress Chieko Fujiwara, who once shone in her pavilions, acting in the best films. They bring her a key that opens the way to her memories. Chieko will tell a lot of fascinating stories about her life that have been happening to her for several decades.

A charming lyrical melodrama, a love message to the golden age of Japanese cinema, filled with sincere admiration and bright nostalgia. The film is based on a historical reflection of changing times, some scenes resemble Akira Kurosawa's films, especially «Throne of Blood», while there are no references to other films in the narrative. Instead, the director tried to create an overview of the history of Japanese filmmaking.

The actress herself is partially copied from the famous actresses of the 1940s - 1960s, Setsuko Hara and Hideko Takamine, the latter of whom Satoshi even specifically interviewed; nevertheless, according to him, no woman is completely a prototype of the actress from his film.