Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) has announced at the press conference on September 29, that two internationally acclaimed veteran directors John Woo from Hong Kong and Yoji Yamada from Japan will be the recipients of the 2nd SAMURAI Award. SAMURAI Award was established last year with Takeshi Kitano and Tim Burton as the first award recipients.
“SAMURAI Award” Yoji Yamada and John Woo are the recipients of the award this year.
The SAMURAI Award commends achievements of filmmakers who continue to create groundbreaking films that carve a path to a new era. In commemoration of this award, The 2nd SAMURAI Award Special Talk “In Person: John Woo” will be held on October 25. At this event, we will look back at Woo’s outstanding career and discuss the challenges and the passion during his journey of filmmaking.
This event will be co-presented by the 28th TIFF and the Asian Film Awards Academy (AFA Academy), and financially supported by Create Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Film Development Fund of the Hong Kong SAR Government.
【 Outline of the event 】
Title： The 28th TIFF and the AFA Academy co-present: The 2nd SAMURAI Award Special Talk “In Person: John Woo”
Financially supported by：Create Hong Kong, Hong Kong Film Development Fund
Date and time: October 25 (Sun) Time: TBA
Venue：Tower Hall, Roppongi Academyhills 49
Address: Roppongi Hills Mori Tower Info
Speaker：Hong Kong Filmmaker John Woo
(Talk and Q&A with John Woo for Japanese independent filmmakers, students, press and audience at the venue)
*Admission-free program (preliminary lottery)
Complimentary seating applications for general audiences will begin from Oct. 10th (Sat)12:00 at the ticket board!
apply tickets
*The SAMURAI award presentation ceremony will be held at the Kabukiza Theatre on October 26, during the “Special Night Event at Kabukiza Theatre”. The details of the award ceremony will be announced to the press in mid-October.
Co-presented by:
ASIAN FILM AWARDS ACADEMY (AFAA)
In 2013, three main Asian film festivals, including the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) and the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF), joined together to create the non-profit organization, the Asian Film Awards Academy (the “AFA Academy”), which aims to promote and develop Asian cinema and its talents. The AFA Academy highlights, strengthens and develops Asian film industry and culture through the annual Asian Film Awards (the “Awards”), year-round initiatives, such as masterclasses, screenings, and professional development and mentorship programmes, and strategies for building regional and international audiences.
Members of the AFA Academy are drawn from all past nominees and winners of the Asian Film Awards. Members will vote for the Asian Film Awards and also participate in various AFA Academy activities involving film professionals and audiences in Asia and around the world.
Starting from 2015, the AFA Academy launches a series of events and activities including the Masterclass Series, Journey to the Fest, Asian Cinerama and Young Film Professionals Program designed to promote, educate, inform and develop knowledge, skills and interest in Asian cinema among veteran and emerging industry practitioners, students and audiences in Asia and beyond. The AFA Academy expresses the increasing global importance and creative strengths of the films of Asia and aims to unite the industries and talents of this fast-growing region. For more details, visit www.afaacademy.asia .
Financially supported by:
Create Hong Kong
Create Hong Kong is a dedicated office set up under the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on 1 June 2009 to lead, champion and drive the development of the creative economy in Hong Kong. It co-ordinates Government policy and effort regarding creative industries, focuses Government resources for the promotion and speeding up of the development of creative industries in Hong Kong, and works closely with the trade to boost the development of creative industries. For more details, visit www.createhk.gov.hk/.
Hong Kong Film Development Fund
The Film Development Fund was first set up by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 1999 to fund projects and activities which contribute towards the development of the Hong Kong film industry, including part-financing small-to-medium budget film productions; enhancing efforts to promote Hong Kong films in the Mainland and overseas; enhancing initiatives to train talents in various aspects of film production and distribution; and enhancing the interest and appreciation of Hong Kong films by the local audience. For more details, visit www.fdc.gov.hk/tc/services/services2.html.
