During the 31st Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) Award Ceremony many Japanese and Asian films were singled out for awards and honourable mentions. The festival showcases trends in Asian cinema and this year did a great job of highlighting how vibrant the industry is.

Director Huang Huang won the Spirit of Asia Award by the Japan Foundation Asia Center for his film “Wushu Orphan”. The award is bestowed on a promising director in the TIFF Asian Future section, chosen for its chances at international success beyond cultural and national borders. Accepting the award from the Japan Foundation President Hiroyasu Ando, Huang thanked the jury and TIFF filmgoers in English, Japanese and Chinese, adding, “I may someday become a part of the ‘Asian past,’ but for now, thank you for this Asian Future award.”

The Best Asian Future Film Award went to “A First Farewell,” directed by Lina Wang. The festival’s most prestigious award, the Tokyo Grand Prix, was given to Mikhael Hers for “Amanda.”

The Japan Foundation Asia Center and TIFF are now in their fifth year of collaboration. This endeavor aims to deepen mutual understanding within Asia by showcasing Asian films in Japan and Japanese films in Asia, and by bringing Asian talent to the world through TIFF. Asian cinema is vibrant.

World Premiere of Asian Omnibus Film Series: Asian Three-Fold Mirror

The world premiere of “Asian Three-Fold Mirror 2018: Journey,” the second in a series of Asian omnibus films, was held on October 26. The co-production project aims to deepen interactions between neighboring countries within Asia, as well as to enrich cultural understanding and explore Asian identities and ways of life.

At the world premiere screening, three young directors, Degena Yun (China), Daishi Matsunaga (Japan), and Edwin (Indonesia) presented their films along with their cast members: popular Indonesian actor Nicholas Saputra, acclaimed Chinese actress Jin Chen, up-and-coming actress Zhe Gong, striking Japanese actor Hiroki Hasegawa, Myanmar actress Nandar Myat Aung who is making her feature film debut, popular Indonesian actress Agni Pratistha, and her compatriot actor Oka Antara.

The Japan Foundation Asia Center Presents CROSSCUT ASIA #05: Soundtrip to Southeast Asia

The Japan Foundation Asia Center’s CROSSCUT ASIA series showcases Asian films focused on particular countries, directors, actors or themes. This year, CROSSCUT ASIA #05: Soundtrip to Southeast Asiashowcased films featuring a rich variety of musical genres, reflecting historical and present-day Southeast Asia. The talent in Asian cinema is unmatched right now.

The 31st Tokyo International Film Festival unspooled from October 25 to November 3, 2018.

Official Website:
The Japan Foundation Asia Center: https://jfac.jp/en/
Tokyo International Film Festival: https://2018.tiff-jp.net/en/
“Asian Three-Fold Mirror 2018: Journey”: https://asian3mirror.jfac.jp/en/