Sennen Joyuu

At the turn of the millennium, Ginei Studio's dilapidated buildings are set to be demolished. Ex-employee and filmmaker Genya Tachibana decides to honor this occasion with a commemorative documentary about the company's star actress: Chiyoko Fujiwara, the reclusive sweetheart of Shouwa Era cinema. Having finally obtained permission to interview the retired starlet, an enamored Genya drags along cynical cameraman Kyouji Ida to meet her, ready to put his lifelong idol back in the spotlight once more.

Hidden in this secluded mountain retreat is a thousand years of history condensed into one lifetime, waiting to be narrated. Chiyoko's recollections take them on an illusionary journey through Japanese cinematic history that transcends the boundaries of reality; the saga of her acting career intertwines with her filmography, the actors in her life blend seamlessly with the characters on screen, and the present melds with the past. Though the actress may have retired at the height of her career 30 years ago, the curtain on her life's stage has yet to fall.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Fujiwara, Chiyoko Main

Orikasa, Fumiko Japanese

Tachibana, Genya Main

Iizuka, Shouzou Japanese

Ida, Kyouji Main

Onosaka, Masaya Japanese

Man of the Key Supporting

Yamadera, Kouichi Japanese

Ootaki, Junichi Supporting

Suzuoki, Hirotaka Japanese

Ayakashi Supporting

Scarface Supporting

Tsukayama, Masane Japanese

Shimao, Eiko Supporting

Tsuda, Shouko Japanese

Maki, Taro Producer

Hirao, Takayuki Assistant Producer

Kon, Satoshi Director, Script, Original Creator, Character Design, Screenplay

Mima, Masafumi Sound Director

Reviews

Mar 30, 2025

mrspenguindrum

Recommended

A tribute to cinema from one of the greatest Japanese directors of all time. Millennium Actress tells the story of a woman who relives her life, her career, and her most memorable experiences in a continuous interplay between dreams and reality. The viewer finds themselves suspended, unable to discern what is real and what is not, surrendering instead to a dreamlike, poetic narrative that enchants until the very end.

The film explores universal themes such as memory, the passage of time, and the fusion between private life and artistic representation. The protagonist is an almost mythical figure, consumed and shaped by her art—a goddess of cinema ... who, even as the years fade away, remains an exemplary icon of passion and resilience.

The technical craftsmanship is flawless, from the animation to the soundtrack. Simply breathtaking.

Thank you, Satoshi Kon.

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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Mar 20, 2024

bergars

Mixed Feelings

A love that feels like 1000 years.

“Millennium Actress” is one of those movies that's just about to be something, but isn't at all. An exploration on the film industry, but no, it's an observation on actors. A love story, that's more about the objective, not the destination. An interview, that's actually a love letter. It keeps changing, evolving, turning into a piece of a person's heart. What motivates a person to pursue art? To pursue love, to pursue a passion? What are everybody's motives to be where they ultimately are? In the end, you're where you stand, at this very moment, for a ... reason.

None can easily explain a movie from Satoshi Kon. They're always breaking conventions with the genre they use as a base. As the last movie I've seen from his stuff, it's equally baffling to truly encompass the themes, and meanings in a single review. In itself, this is the story of an actress, and how she goes about remembering her life. It all happens between her memories on film, of each role she got, of each era she portrayed. Everything slowly connects with her search for the man she's loved since she was in school.

It never confused me, but it wasn't ever entirely clear about its intentions. It's got a layer of a supernatural destiny, or it could very well be a metaphor for a love that feels like it lasted 1000 years. Escapes normal boundaries, it breaks the people around you. The jealous ones, the guilty ones, the co-workers. Life becomes all about a fruitless pursuit, but it isn't terrible at all. Life moves on, and one continues searching for something, with motives, with intent, with energy. In a way, even in the end, “I'm more in love with the pursuit”, makes life all the more worth it.

Now, I don't agree one should search for love, and sacrifice everything else around one to get it. However, I love how it turns back into a lesson about the objectives we wish to achieve.

All abstract elements aside, I love the way it's tied up with incredible animation. Fluid, expressive, perfectly in line with the quality Satoshi Kon is known for. No frame is wasted, and the human beauty in his works never ceases to amaze me. The soundtrack had this electronic vibe to it that makes scenes all the more memorable.

This sounds like a 9/10, or something clearly higher, but while this movie deserves all that praise, I couldn't connect at all. The story was pretty standard, and predictable. The way it was told was probably its best aspect, but all around, it got extremely repetitive. For such a short movie, clocking in at 80 minutes, I think I saw the same scene 3 times in a row. Could've worked if that was chopped down to tell one story, without any breaks or repetition. The pacing was a true issue for me, and you can cut this one by a lot.

Instead of immersing the audience, you make them wonder why are we getting the same scene, with a different era, done in the same way. Just, move it along, I want to see the rest. Even with the excuse of setting up the cathartic ending, I don't think the repetition helped it by that much.

7/10. I really like the movie for what it tries to be, and the quality can't be understated. It's a problem with what it actually does to achieve. The editing room's got a better movie, for sure.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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May 25, 2023

Okamii_JA

Not Recommended

Funny

Omg what a boring movie , the story so weak man with many cutscenes that make no sense just to make the movie a bit longer , only animation was a bit good .

the story basically about a girl met someone getting chased by cops and immediately fell in love with him , then he dropped a key she found it and tried to hand it over but he told her to give it back when they meet again so she kept looking for him Lmfaoo . Really ! Nothing more nothing less , no character development no real events no progression at all ... just and old granny telling her drama .

Honestly pushed myself to reach the last minute of it , I stopped couple of times I dunno how ppl liked it that much otherwise I know it's matter of taste or point of view and no doubt of that .

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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