32nd Tokyo International Film Festival Winners – UNCLE wins Grand Prix

Winners of the awards at the 32nd Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) were announced during the Closing Ceremony. The Grand Prix went to the Danish film Uncle. Director Frelle Petersen spoke about his struggles making the film: “We felt we had already won when we found out we were selected to compete in the Tokyo International Film Festival,” he said. “We were hung over the next day, because it was such a great reason for celebrating.”

The coveted Audience Award, selected by TIFF audiences, went to the French film Only the Animals. Director Dominik Moll had already left Japan, so it was up to the lead actor, Denis Ménochet, to accept the award. “I’ve never seen an audience so devoted to film that they would wait two hours to talk with filmmakers about a movie,” he said. “I think that the value of film was actually born here in Japan.”

Iranian film Old Men Never Die, by Reza Jamali, was given The Spirit of Asia Award by the Japan Foundation Asia Center, and the Chinese film, Summer Knight, received the Asian Future Best Film Award. Jamali especially thanked two Iranian directors who have been important to him, Abbas Kiarostami and Amir Naderi, the latter of whom was in the audience. Summer Knight director You Xing mentioned that filmmakers are by nature “insecure creatures,” and that the award he received at TIFF gave him greater encouragement to strive even more.

32nd TIFF Award Winners

American Airlines Award Inter College Short Film Competition

Grand-Prix
“Down Zone”
Director: Takuto Okui from Osaka University of Arts

Tokyo Gemstone Award
Josefine Frida (“Disco”)
Sairi Ito (“Life: Untitled”)
Riru Yoshina (“Take Over Zone”)
Yui Sakuma (“I Was a Secret Bitch”)

Japanese Cinema Splash
Best Director Award
Hirobumi Watanabe (“Cry”)

Best Film Award
“i -Documentary of the Journalist-” (Director:Tatsuya Mori)

The Spirit of Asia Award
by the Japan Foundation Asia Center
Reza Jamali (“Old Men Never Die”)

Asian Future Best Film Award
“Summer Knight” (Director:You Xing[尤行] )

Competition

Audience Award
“Only the Animals” (Director:Dominik Moll)

Best Screenplay Award
“A Beloved Wife” (Director/Writer: Shin Adachi)

Award for Best Artistic Contribution
“Chaogtu with Sarula” (Director:Wang Rui[王瑞])

Award for Best Artistic Contribution
“Chaogtu with Sarula” (Director:Wang Rui[王瑞])

Award for Best Actor
Navid Mohammadzadeh (“Just 6.5”)

Award for Best Actress
Nadia Tereszkiewicz (“Only the Animals”)

Award for Best Director
Saeed Roustaee (“Just 6.5”)

Special Jury Prize
“Atlantis” (Director: Valentyn Vasyanovych)

Tokyo Grand Prix / The Governor of Tokyo Award
“Uncle” (Director: Frelle Petersen)