Millennium Actress
2001 · Movie · PG · 87 min · ★ 7.9 · 82% critics
A documentary filmmaker searches for a legendary actress who vanished at the height of her fame. When he brings a meaningful key to her, her recollections and the films she starred in begin to intertwine, unlocking secrets of her life and his own.
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Details
- Original title
- 千年女優
- Years
- 2001
- Release date
- 2002-09-14
- Language
- Japanese
- Rated
- PG
- Runtime
- 87 min
- Max quality
- UHD
- Critic score
- 82/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.9/10 (1,051 votes)
- Box office
- $262,891
- Budget
- $1,200,000
About
You’ll likely enjoy Millennium Actress if you like emotionally charged stories that blend past and performance in unexpected ways, with a memorable pursuit at the center; Not for you if you want a straightforward, easy-to-follow plot, or if you disliked Perfect Blue or Paprika.
Pros: inventive memory storytelling; emotional chase energy; rich artful eras | Cons: can feel confusing at times; nonlinear narrative requires focus; some parts unclear
Themes
- japan
- china
- key
- surreal
- earthquake
- second sino-japanese war (1937-45)
- historical
- recluse
- adult animation
- movie star
- story within the story
- edo period
- +10 more
Awards & recognition
- Animation Kobe Theatrical Film Award · 2003
- Annie Award — Best Animated Feature · 2003 · nominated
Cast & crew
Miyoko Shoji
as Chiyoko Fujiwara (70's) (voice)
Mami Koyama
as Chiyoko Fujiwara (20-40's) (voice)
Fumiko Orikasa
as Chiyoko Fujiwara (10-20's) (voice)
Showko Tsuda
as Eiko Shimao (voice)
Shozo Iizuka
as Genya Tachibana (voice)
Masaya Onosaka
as Kyouji Ida (voice)
Masane Tsukayama
as The Man with the Scar (voice)
Koichi Yamadera
as The Man of the Key (voice)
Hisako Kyoda
as Chiyoko's Mother (voice)
Tomie Kataoka
as Mino (voice)
Directed by Satoshi Kon