The Pillow Book
Synopsis
Nagito has a fetish for calligraphy on the human body and meets her ideal soulmate Jerome, an English translator sent to Japan. However, once Nagiko's father's gay publisher rejoins the scene, the story is overtaken by treachery and bloodlust.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Mark Kermode reviews The Pillow Book (1996) | BFI PlayerOfficial
Type: Featurette • Published 2022-11-18
Top Cast
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Release History & Theatrical Window
Cannes Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
June 6, 1997
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Peter Greenaway
- Screenplay & Story
- Sei Shonagon, Peter Greenaway
- Original Score
- Brian Eno
- Original Title
- The Pillow Book
- Country of Origin
- France, United Kingdom, Luxembourg
- Spoken Languages
- English, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, French, Cantonese
- Runtime
- 2h 6m
- Production Studios
- Alpha Films, Le Studio Canal+, Channel Four Films, Delux Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Peter Greenaway
Sei Shonagon, Peter Greenaway
Brian Eno
Sacha Vierny
Chris Wyatt, Peter Greenaway
Kees Kasander, Terry Glinwood, Denis Wigman, Jean-Louis Piel, Tom Reeve
Department Leadership Roster
Peter Greenaway
Director
Chris Wyatt
Editor
Sei Shonagon
Writer
Peter Greenaway
Writer
Peter Greenaway
Editor
Sacha Vierny
Director of Photography
Kees Kasander
Producer
Kôichi Hamamura
Production Design
Wilbert Van Dorp
Production Design
Koji Tatsuno
Costume Design
Hiroto Oonogi
Production Design
Martin Margiela
Costume Design
Willemijn Loivers
Production Design
Noriyuki Tanaka
Production Design
Andrée Putman
Production Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NC-17: Adults Only — No one 17 and under admitted.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.
Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.
Adults Only — No one 17 and under admitted.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Pillow Book.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Pillow Book.
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:40:36 UTC+8)*
Movies - Live Action
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Pillow Book
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Pillow Book about?
Nagito has a fetish for calligraphy on the human body and meets her ideal soulmate Jerome, an English translator sent to Japan. However, once Nagiko's father's gay publisher rejoins the scene, the story is overtaken by treachery and bloodlust.
Who directed The Pillow Book?
The Pillow Book was directed by Peter Greenaway.
Who stars in The Pillow Book?
The principal cast of The Pillow Book includes Vivian Wu, Yoshi Oida, Ken Ogata, Hideko Yoshida, Ewan McGregor.
When was The Pillow Book released and how long is it?
The Pillow Book was released in 1995 with a total runtime of 2h 6m.
Who composed the musical score for The Pillow Book?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Pillow Book was composed by Brian Eno.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Pillow Book?
The Pillow Book holds official age classifications: CA: 18A; DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: 12 (Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.); GB: 18 (Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.); US: NC-17 (Adults Only — No one 17 and under admitted.).