Directed by Satoshi Kon, Millennium Actress (Sennen Joyū) was released in 2001 to a generally positive reception. Much lighter in tone compared to the director’s previous film, Perfect Blue, this film is a masterful love letter to Japanese cinema and one of its most iconic figures, Setsuko Hara. There’s a lot you can take from Millennium Actress and much has already been said about it. In fact, I seriously doubt I can fit everything I want to say about the film in this post alone but I still want to highlight what made it memorable for me. There will be spoilers, of course.  If you haven’t watched the film yet, please go ahead and do so. It has my highest recommendation, whatever that might be worth to you.

Continue reading “Millennium Actress and the Importance of Art” →