Millennium Actress

At the turn of the millennium, the run-down buildings of Ginei Studio are slated for demolition. Filmmaker Genya Tachibana, a former employee, decides to mark the occasion by making a documentary about the studio’s most beloved actress: Chiyoko Fujiwara, the reclusive star of Shouwa Era cinema. After finally securing an interview with the retired actress, an eager Genya brings along his skeptical cameraman, Kyouji Ida, to meet her, hoping to reintroduce his lifelong idol to the world. In her quiet mountain retreat, Chiyoko’s life unfolds like a thousand years of history compressed into one. As she shares her memories, the lines between reality and illusion blur-her acting career merges with the films she starred in, the people she knew become indistinguishable from their on-screen roles, and past and present weave together seamlessly. Though she stepped away from acting at the peak of her fame thirty years ago, her story is far from over. The final act of her life’s performance has yet to close.