Silk

Romance, History
USA  /  English

A young french silkworm smuggler, Herve Joncour (Michael Pitt), must travel to Japan to get silkworms when his supply of African silkworms is wiped out by disease. While there he becomes enchanted with a concubine (Sei Ashina) of a local ruler named Hara Jubei (Koji Yakusho). Though Herve is happily married to his wife Helene (Keira Knightley), who remains behind in France, he becomes increasingly enchanted by his new mistress. Returning to France after war breaks out in Japan, he waits for word from his mistress, and when a letter finally arrives he has it translated by a local French-Japanese woman. When Helene dies, Herve discovers some amazing things about his wife and her understanding of his deceit.