Erotic drama written and directed by Peter Greenaway. In Japan in the 1970s, a calligrapher delicately writes a birthday greeting on his daughter's face. When the little girl grows up, Nagiko (Vivian Wu) remembers the event with such fondness that she begins a search for a lover who will use her whole body as his personal paper. Eventually, she meets English translator Jerome (Ewan McGregor) who convinces her to be the writer and not the paper. He takes her writing, on his body, to publishers in what seems to be an ideal situation. However, the plan is too successful, and petty jealousies begin to tear apart their passionate relationship.