Millennium Actress

Chiyoko Fujiwara agrees to participate in her first interview in three decades as the Ginei film company readies to demolish its old studio. This moment marks a pivotal point in her life, reflecting on her legacy in the film industry and the passage of time since her abrupt departure.

Chiyoko's journey begins during the devastation of the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake, which tragically claims the life of her father. This event sets the stage for her tumultuous relationship with loss and her desire for escape into the world of acting.

Despite her mother's disapproval, Chiyoko is recruited by Ginei's general manager to star in a government film designed to bolster soldiers' spirits during the Second Sino-Japanese War. This invitation ignites her passion for acting, pulling her further away from her family's confectionery shop.

Chiyoko's life takes a turn when she meets a political dissident painter who is hiding from the authorities. She chooses to help him by hiding him in her home's storehouse, marking the beginning of a profound connection between them.

After the painter flees to Manchuria to join his comrades, Chiyoko is left with a key he gave her. This key symbolizes his art supplies and their shared promise to reunite, a promise that continues to resonate throughout her life and career.

Chiyoko pursues her acting career in Manchuria, motivated by the hope that the artist will find her there. Along the way, she meets Junichi Ōtaki and Eiko Shimao, who become crucial figures in her film career and personal life.

While filming in northern Manchuria, Chiyoko's journey becomes perilous when bandits ambush her train. This event forces her narrative into a dramatic setting reminiscent of the Sengoku period, where she faces grave danger.

In a dramatic turn, Chiyoko finds herself as a princess who is tricked into consuming a cursed tea. This moment signifies her struggle with love and fate, echoing the trials of her past as she seeks the artist.

After World War II, although Chiyoko rises to stardom, she remains haunted by memories of the artist. Her emotional turmoil intensifies when she realizes that her memories of him are fading, prompting her to consider a more ordinary life.

Eiko, jealous of Chiyoko's innocence and success, steals the key that symbolizes Chiyoko's memories of the artist. This betrayal leads Chiyoko into a deeper reflection about her relationships and the nature of her love for the artist.

An elderly man arrives with a letter from the artist, reigniting Chiyoko’s hope of reconnecting. This event sends her on a journey to the artist's hometown in Hokkaido, but the quest ends in disappointment and lack of closure.

While making her last film, an earthquake strikes, and Chiyoko finds herself trapped in the chaos. An unexpected savior, a young Genya, manages to rescue her, marking the end of her acting career.

In the aftermath of her acting life, Chiyoko sees the wraith of her past in her own reflection. This profound realization forces her to confront the passage of time and the lost innocence of her youth.

As the interview concludes, another earthquake shakes Chiyoko's world, worsening her health. In her final moments, she expresses gratitude to Genya for rekindling her memories, reaffirming her love for the artist and their journey.