This is a 2007 film directed by François Girard, a French-Canadian director, based on the novel written by Alessandro Baricco, an Italian author.
It is a story of a French silkworm merchant-turned-smuggler named Hervé Joncour in 19th century France who travels to Japan for his town's supply of silkworms after a disease wipes out their African supply.
Before the journey, he gets married to Hélène, a teacher and keen gardener.
He loves her so much.
During his stay in Japan, however, he becomes obsessed with the concubine (played by Sei Ashina: 芦名 星) of a local baron.
On his first visit to the secluded village in the Northern part of Japanese mainland, she handed him a note, which reads in Japanese: "Come back or I shall die."
She appears misteriously attractive.
Hervé Joncour never knows her name.
The concubine seems attracted to this silkworm smuggler, yet she introduces a girl to him one night, instead of sleeping with him herself.
His obsession somewhat puzzles me because he has never communicated with the concubine verbally---let alone sexually.
In any case, his obsession is so strong that he seems to do anything to meet her again, but to no avail.
Then he receives a long letter from the mysterious concubine, written in Japanese.
He takes the letter to Madame Blanche for translation, who agrees, providing he never comes to see her again.
Madame Blanche is a Japanese woman whose French merechant-husband has been long dead.
As a owner-and-manager of a high-class brothel, she lives in Lyon, a city in east-central France, and she is known for giving the small blue flowers that she wears to her clients.
The letter is a deeply moving declaration of love.
After his three journeys to Japan, his wife becomes ill and eventually dies.
Hervé finds a tribute of small, blue flowers on her grave.
He seeks out Madame Blanche once more, believing her to have written the letter, but Madame Blanche has moved to Paris without giving him a new address.
Hervé Joncour almost knocks at every door in Paris to find Madame Blanche, and finnaly he meets her.
Madame Blanche reveals a profound secret to him.
This is a big twist in this film.
I'd better not tell you about it.
After this revalation, Madame Blanche tells him that, more than anything, his wife loved him.
Too late, Hervé finally realizes that it was Hélène who was his true love after all.
It is a poetic film and really moving.
The Japanese scenery is authentic because it was filmed in a secluded part outside the city center of Sakata (酒田市、山形県).
You might be convinced that obsession is not love, but that it's more like illusion.
Love is real and it's more like devotion.
