French director Mikhael Hers’ Amanda was awarded the Tokyo Grand Prix at the close of this year’s Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF), while A First Farewell from China’s Lina Wang won best film in the Asian Future competition.
Amanda, about a young man who looks after his niece following his sister’s sudden death, also took the WOWOW-sponsored best screenplay award.
Danish drama Before The Frost took the Special Jury Prize and best actor for Jesper Christensen. Best director went to Italian filmmaker Edoardo De Angelis for The Vice Of Hope, which also took best actress for Pina Turco (see full list of winners below).
Meanwhile, the Spirit of Asia Award in the Asian Future section went to Chinese filmmaker Huang Huang’s Wushu Orphan, while Katsumi Nojiri’s Lying To Mom won best film in Japanese Cinema Splash.
This year’s edition of TIFF, which closed on November 3 with a screening of Godzilla: The Planet Eater, drew an audience of around 62,000 and a total of 155,000 people across associated events.
TOKYO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL WINNERS:
Tokyo Grand Prix – Amanda
Special Jury Prize – Before The Frost
Best director – Edoardo De Angelis, The Vice Of Hope
Best actress – Pina Turco, The Vice Of Hope
Best actor – Jesper Christensen, Before The Frost
Best artistic contribution – The White Crow
Best screenplay – Amanda
Audience award – Another World
Asian Future Best Film Award – A First Farewell
Spirit Of Asia Award – Huang Huang, A Wushu Orphan
Japanese Cinema Splash Best Director – Masaharu Take, The Gun / Seiji Tanaka, Melancholic
Tokyo Gemstone Award – Mai Kiryu, Lien Binh Phat, Karelle Tremblay, Nijiro Murakami