The 39th Tokyo International Film Festival concluded with the announcement of major award winners across multiple competition categories. Milcho Manchevski’s “Sister Brother Manhole Cover,” a co-production involving North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Albania, Italy and the United Kingdom, secured the festival’s top prize, the Tokyo Grand Prix. The film depicts two siblings in Skopje who earn their living by stealing manhole covers and copper busts, with the narrative taking a comedic turn when a stolen bronze bust injures one character’s foot.
Jury president Rolf de Heer noted that the selection committee chose the film for its demonstration of “humanity and compassion” toward its characters and praised it as “a complex, coherent film that manages to be both touching and playful.” The winning entry marked Manchevski’s first fiction feature since “Kaymak.” Producer Jane Kortoshev, along with lead actors Sara Klimoska and Filip Trajković, accepted the award on behalf of the filmmaker, who had already departed Tokyo. The prize carries a monetary award of JPY3 million.
In other major competition categories, Lisandro Alonso received the best director award for “Double Freedom,” a film following a woodcutter whose solitary existence is disrupted when his sister requires care after institutional closure. Hu Ling was named best actress for “The Night That Binds Us,” while Japan’s Narita Ryo won best actor for “Two Cigarettes, Three Nights.” Sun Xun’s animated feature “Magic Atlas” received the Special Jury Prize, acknowledged for its “remarkable craftsmanship” spanning multiple artistic styles.
Additional awards recognized artistic achievement and audience response. Jelena Maksimović’s debut feature “Until the Day Ends” won the best artistic contribution prize, while Teodora Ana Mihai’s “Heysel 85,” a recreation of the 1985 Brussels stadium disaster, received the audience award. In the Asian Future section, Tareq Daoud’s “Serife Tavsan” won best film, and Tanaka Miki’s “Silver Express” topped the Nippon Cinema Now category. The closing ceremony took place in conditions of light rain, contrasting with heavier precipitation that marked the festival’s opening on Oct. 26.
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