The awards ceremony for the The 28th Tokyo International Film Festival was held on October 31 at the festival’s main event space in Tokyo’s TOHO CINEMAS Roppongi Hills. The festival’s highest honor, the Tokyo Grand Prix, was awarded to Brazilian film Nise – The Heart of Madness, which also took home the award for Best Actress. Director Roberto Berliner expressed his joy as he hoisted the trophy, saying, “I sacrificed 13 years to this film. Right down to losing time with my wife and children, I sacrificed.” The Competition section’s three Japanese entries, FOUJITA, The Inerasable and Sayonara, were left uncrowned.
Tokyo Grand Prix winner Nise – The Heart of Madness is a drama based on the true story of a female psychiatrist who struggles after pushing a reform proposal to utilize the theories of Jung instead of using shock treatment on mental patients. Berliner said of his intent to produce the film, “The protagonist is a very important person—a revolutionary. I felt it was my responsibility to introduce her to the world.” Film festival judge and director Bryan Singer praised Berliner. “The Grand Prix award was a unanimous decision. But in my personal opinion, as someone who was once a bus driver for disabled children, it was a really touching film.”
TIFF Director General Yasushi Shiina expressed his ambitions for future festivals in a speech. “This film festival was first held in 1985. RAN was shown exactly 30 years ago at the opening screening, and [this year] we were able to screen the 4k digital restoration as part of the Japan Classics section. I want to make next year, and the year after, even bigger.” Of this year’s master class with director John Woo, which attracted 400 young directors, he said, “I would like to continue to provide opportunities for young talent to gain all kinds of experience.” Finally, he vowed, “There is only five years until the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, and I believe expectations for Tokyo are on the rise. I want to continue fostering the growth of culture through films.”
It was also announced that total festival attendance during the 10 days from October 22 hit 449,171 attendees (63,783 in theaters, 239,561 in TIFFCOM and joint sponsorship projects, and 145,872 at the red carpet and arena events).
TIFF award winners are as follows:
Competition section:
▼Tokyo Grand Prix: Nise – The Heart of Madness
▼Special Jury Prize: All Three of Us
▼Award for Best Director: Director Mustafa Kara (Cold of Kalandar)
▼Award for Best Actress: Gloria Pires (Nise – The Heart of Madness)
▼Award for Best Actor: Roland Møller/Louis Hofmann (Land of Mine)
▼Award for Best Artistic Contribution: Family Film
▼WOWOW Viewer’s Choice Award: Cold of Kalandar
▼The Audience Award: God Willing
Asian Future section:
▼Best Asian Future Film Award: The Island Funeral
▼The Spirit of Asia Award by the Japan Foundation Asia Center: A Simple Goodbye
Japanese Cinema Splash Section:
▼Best Picture Award: Ken and Kazu
The news provided by eiga.com 
