Tokyo Film Festival

As part of sharing with you the cultural Japan, and not precisely the traditional culture; I will now make a quick insight into the 19th Tokyo International Film Festival taking place from October 20-29th in Tokyo. I watched the red carpet opening ceremony direct from my satellite channel on Saturday October 21st. I felt good since I know where it took place. I suppose people who live in Los Angeles will feel very much familiar with the Academy Award ceremony; the same here. The place was the Mori Tower and I have been there before. The Roppongi Hills, as popularly know is a landmark in Tokyo's city scenery.

There are four categories of competition and these are: "Competition", "Winds of Asia", "Japanese Eyes" and "Akira Kurosawa Award". The jury was composed by international members. The prizes in the category "Competition" are as follows:

Tokyo Sakura Grand Prix	US$ 100,000
Special Jury Prize	US$ 20,000
Award for Best Director	US$ 5,000
Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role	US$ 5,000
Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role	US$ 5,000
Award for Best Artistic Contribution	US$ 5,000

It was during the 17th Tokyo International Film Festival that the Uruguayan movie "Whisky" won the awarding prize. This time there were several international films contesting in the different categories. This is too long to list here, but if you want, you can visit the 19th Tokyo International Film Festival web page (in English). Nevertheless, I would like to point out that the opening film was "Flags of our fathers" that together with "Letters from Iwo Jima" are Clint Eastwood's tribute to those who fought WWII with an approach to the war from both American and Japanese perspective.

Prize winners of the film festival were announced on October 29, 2006. The Tokyo Sakura Grand Prix was awarded to "Oss 117 Cairo Nest of Spies", a French movie directed by Michael Hazanavicius.

Hereunder is the complete list of the year's winners.


- Tokyo Sakura Grand Prix
“OSS 117, Cairo Nest of Spies”
Director: Michel Hazanavicius


- Special Jury Prize
“Thirteen Princess Trees”
Director: Lu Yue


- Award for Best Director
Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris
“LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE”


- Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Abigail Breslin
“LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE”


- Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Roy Dupuis
“The Rocket”


- Award for Best Artistic Contribution
“After This Our Exile”
Director: Patrick Tam


- The Audience Award
“LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE”
Director: Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris


- Best Asian Film Award
“After This Our Exile”
Director: Patrick Tam


- Japanese Eyes, Best Picture Award
“THE CATS OF MIRIKITANI”
Director: Linda Hattendorf


- Japanese Eyes, Special Award
Kengo Kora (Actor)
“M”


- Akira Kurosawa Award
Milos Forman (Director)
Kon Ichikawa (Director)