Memoirs of a Geisha is a 2005 American
epic film adaptation of
the novel of the same name, produced by
Steven Spielberg's
Amblin Entertainment and
Spyglass Entertainment and by
Douglas Wick's Red Wagon Productions. The picture was directed by
Rob Marshall and was released in the United States on December 9, 2005 by
Columbia Pictures and
DreamWorks Pictures.
DreamWorks was given studio credit only. It stars
Zhang Ziyi,
Ken Watanabe,
Gong Li,
Michelle Yeoh,
Youki Kudoh, and
Suzuka Ohgo. Production took place in southern and northern California and in several locations in
Kyoto, including the
Kiyomizu templeand the
Fushimi Inari shrine.
Memoirs of a Geisha tells the story of a young girl, Chiyo Sakamoto, who is sold by her family to an okiya, a geisha house. Her new family then sends her off to school to become a
geisha. This movie is mainly about older Chiyo and her struggle as a geisha to find love, in the process making a lot of enemies. The film was nominated for and won numerous awards, including nominations for six
Academy Awards, and eventually won three:
Best Cinematography,
Best Art Direction and
Best Costume Design.
The Japanese release of the film was titled
Sayuri, the titular character's geisha name.