Arab News Japan

TOKYO: The members of the Tokyo International Film Festival Jury agreed on a successful bet that has come true: to have a Tokyo film festival during the pandemic.

Unusually, the Best Actor Award was presented jointly to the four actors of the film “The Four Walls,” a Turkish and Kurdish production. The prizes went to Baris Yildis, Amir Aghaee, Fatih Al and Onur Buldu.

Juror Sebu Hiroko commented: “We were impressed with the energy and the charm of the four leading cast members in this film. Although they were displaced from their homes due to modernization and capitalism, through their passion for music, they find comfort in and friendship with each other. Their chemistry is endearing and elevates the film above loss and grief.”

The Asian Future Best Film Award was presented to Iranian director Hossein Tehrani for his film “World, Northern Hemisphere,” which deals with child marriage.

“The fact that I have received this award from Japan, home to great directors, such as Kurosawa, Ōshima, Mizoguchi, Kobayashi and Ozu, is special and very moving for me,” Tehrani said. “My film was selected to screen in Japan, a country filled with a rich cinema history and respect. When Iranians show their smile to foreigners, it means that they like and feel close to them. They especially always smile at Japanese; therefore, I also greet you with a smile.”

The president of the Jury, French actress Isabelle Huppert,declared during the award ceremony that the festival emphasizes the rich heritage of languages.

The French actress presented the Tokyo Grand Prix for the film “Vera Dreams of the Sea” by director Katrina Krasniqui. The director of the Albanian film could not receive the prize herself and was accepted on her behalf by a member of the Kosovo embassy. She delivered a message of thanks by video.

“Just Remembering” a Japanese film won the TIFF Audience Award for director Matsui Daigo. Huppert commented: “The jury would like to extend a Special Mention to the film ‘Just Remembering’ by Matsui Daigo, for its delightful exploration of young adults in Tokyo, with charming chemistry between the two lead characters as exhibited by Ikematsu Sosuke and Ito Sairi.”

The winners of the new Amazon Prime Video Take One Award for short films were announced first, with Kim Yunsoo taking the Amazon Prime Video Take One Award for his Sunday & Calm Sea, and Sangoumi Midori taking the Amazon Prime Video Take One Award Special Jury Prize for her Under the Bridge.

Julia Chavez won the Best Actress Award and Darezhan Omirbaev the Best Director Award.

This year the Tokyo Film Festival has tended to conform to its goals of increasing gender parity with more female directors and social themes.