Milcho Manchevski’s North Macedonia social satire Sister Brother Manhole Cover won top prize at the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) today (November 4).
Revolving around two siblings at the bottom rungs of society who steal bronze statues and manhole covers to survive, the film stars Sara Klimoska, Filip Trajkovikj and Sonja Mihajlova, and was produced by Jane Kortoshev. It had its world premiere at Tokyo and is repped internationally by Coccinelle Film Sales.
The film was chosen “for its seamless blend of humor, tragedy and drama, for the humanity and compassion shown toward its characters, for a complex, coherent film that manages to be both touching and playful,” according to competition jury president Rolf de Heer.
Tokyo’s special jury prize was awarded to the animated Magic Atlas, which was created by Chinese artist Sun Xun over a period of over a decade. The film depicts a young boy’s journey through a fictional empire using a variety of art styles. It had its world premiere at Locarno.
“This film stands out for the remarkable craftsmanship and the use of various artistic techniques and styles used to portray both the real world and the fantastical world,” said jury member Oh Jungwan.
The award for best director went to Argentina’s Lisandro Alonso for Double Freedom, about a woodcutter who lives alone in the forest who must take responsibility for his sister after her mental institution shuts down. Alonso is a frequent presence at Cannes, where Double Freedom premiered.
The award for best actress went to Hu Ling for director Wang Jiangyong’s The Night That Binds Us. Best actor went to Ryo Narita, who starred in director Yukiko Mishima’s Two Cigarettes, Three Nights.
The award for best artistic contribution went to Jelena Maksimović’s Until the Day Ends, which tells the story of two young protesters on a night of demonstrations in Serbia.
The audience award went to Heysel 85, Teodora Ana Mihai’s account of the clashes at the 1985 European Cup final that ended in 39 deaths.
Best film of the Asian Future section was given to Serife Tavsan, Tareq Daoud’s story of a widow who regains her vitality, while a special mention was given to Jani Be Good, Ariani Darmawan’s film about three generations of women in conflict.
New awards
The festival’s Nippon Cinema Now section, which focuses on up-and-coming Japanese filmmakers, became a competitive section this year featuring two prizes.
The section’s best film award went to silver express, the debut feature from Miki Tanaka, who won the La Cinef prize at Cannes last year for her short film Ginger Boy.
“The film stands out for the sensitivity of its vision and the freedom of its storytelling, leaving us with the rare feeling of having encountered something truly new,” said jury member Sabrina Baracetti.
The jury prize went to Between Us, Shingo Matsumura’s tale of estranged friends who reunite after six years in a high school drama club.
The best film award in the Asian Students’ Film Conference section, which was created last year, went to Running Wild In The Sun, a short by Nguyen Vu Hien Chi (Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema), while the special jury prize was shared by two films, Everything’s Peachy by Nah Yee Chern (LASALLE College of the Arts) and All of Her by Kim Nam-hyeon (Korean Academy of Film Arts).
The Ethical Film Award went to I Rarely Wake Up Dreaming, a film about a young queer Ukrainian couple in wartime by Isabelle Stever.
The previously announced Kurosawa Akira Award was given to Japanese director Mipo O and Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof. Bill Kramer, CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, was awarded a Global Cinema Leadership Special Award on October 28.
The 39th Tokyo International Film Festival ran from October 28 to November 4.
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