OSAKA ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL 2020

The list of award winners

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Grand Prix (Best Picture Award)

“Happy Old Year”

Thailand|Director: Nawapol THAMRONGRATTANARIT

Jury Comment:

Displaying Nawapol THAMRONGRATTANARIT’s outstanding originality and his unique modern film style, "Happy Old Year" captivates the audience. It deals first with the theme of discarding things — a universal, everyday problem which confronts all humans living in the civilized world, then the film expands to an in-depth exploration of many other issues. The entire cinematic vision is extraordinary.

Comment from Director Nawapol THAMRONGRATTANARIT:

I am very happy! It is the second times that we have won internationally. I am happy that our movie can communicate to many audiences from other side of the globe (feeling less lonely now, LOL). I want to thank the juries from the OAFF for giving us this award. Thank you, Japanese audience who love this movie the way it’s supposed to be.

Most Promising Talent Award

PARK Sun-joo

Korea|“Way Back Home” Director

Jury Comment:

Time, as depicted in "Way Back Home", especially the time which heals the heroine’s trauma, flows slowly like water, beautifully providing catharsis. The film encourages us to look forward to director PARK Sun-joo’s future work.

Comment from Director PARK Sun-joo

Hello, this is Park Sun-joo, the director of "Way Back Home".

First of all, I am pleased and honored to have this opportunity to convey my feelings about winning < Most Promising Talent > award.

Although it was a pity that I could not meet the audience in Osaka, I kept seeing the audience's comments about my film on SNS. I was worried about the feedback from the audience, since my film has a rather heavy theme. However, it was surprising to me to find that a lot of audience empathized with my film and wrote my film left deep impressions on them. I was so happy to realize that we can share the peace and empathy through the film. I would like to express my gratitude to all of you.

Also I am grateful to Jury members for giving me the award with the intention of trusting and encouraging. Most Promising Talent Award will definitely become a great power for me to keep working on filmmaking.

I hope to visit Osaka Asian Film Festival with my new film and meet you all. Until then, please stay healthy.

Thank you so much.

Best Actor

MASE Hidemasa

間瀬英正

Japan|“Kontora (コントラ)” Leading Actor

Jury Comment:

Personifying, with great intensity, the madness which pervades the entire film, MASE Hidemasa leaves a deep impact on viewers.

Comment from Mr. MASE Hidemasa (間瀬英正) :

I am honored to have received this special Best Actor award from the Osaka Asian Film Festival 2020. The character of “the man walking backwards” was acted out by me but created and developed by the director Anshul CHAUHAN, so the award belongs to him as well as all the cast and staff who worked with me. I hope the film “Kontora” will be released in theaters in Japan, and “the man walking backwards” can be shown in front of you all.

ABC TV Award

“Write about Love”

Philippines|Director: Crisanto AQUINO

ABC TV Comment:

It is a wonderful comedy that is bright and energetic to watch even though it incorporates serious themes. The technical aspects of the film are elaborate as reflected in the aspect ratio. Scenes taking place in the real world are shot in 4☓3, the movie scenes are 16☓9, and eventually the two worlds are mixed.

Comment from Director Crisanto AQUINO:

My heart is overjoyed winning my first International Award given by ABC TV through OAFF in my first feature film “Write about Love”. This is really a big honor for the Philippines and good news for our industry and for all the filmmakers who are just starting in their career that anything is possible if you work hard and continue your passion in everything you do. Dreams really come true, just work for it. This is the silver lining amidst the global pandemic COVID-19 right now that can give us hope that all of this will pass through.

To OAFF thank you again and please continue in supporting the Asian filmmakers as we tell stories about the truth, our lives, and as we Write About Love.

Thank you.

Yakushi Pearl Award

Leon DAI

戴立忍

Taiwan|“Your Name Engraved Herein (刻在你心底的名字)” Supporting Actor

Yakushi Pearl Comment:

Delivering a convincing performance with delicacy and meticulously controlled emotion, Leon DAI, as the middle-aged protagonist, gave “Your Name Engraved Herein” an essential profundity and texture. There is no doubt that his performance in the film will open new horizons in his acting career.

JAPAN CUTS Award

“The Murders of Oiso”

ある殺人、落葉のころに

Japan, Hong Kong, Korea|Director: MISAWA Takuya (三澤拓哉)

JAPAN CUTS Comment:

This unflinching examination of small-town corruption, toxic masculinity and the angst of youth stood out from the Indie Forum section as an exceptionally well-crafted drama that exhibits director MISAWA Takuya’s keen eye for creative narrative construction and an impressive control of film language. “The Murders of Oiso” is a refreshingly bold and assured work that makes us excited for the director’s future projects and the potential of Japanese independent cinema as a dynamic and critical force. We are very happy to recognize MISAWA’s film with this award.

Comment from Director MISAWA Takuya (三澤拓哉):

After reading the Jury's comment I felt humbled. I will do my best and keep the comment in my mind. The night after the OAFF screening, the Japanese premiere, I talked with NAKAZAKI Haya, MORI Yusaku, and NAGASHIMA Shugo, and we became confident in the power of this film. I will do my best to make sure the film is screened for people, without compromise. I would like to thank all the people involved with OAFF and the audience who came to see the film despite of the situation. I hope people who couldn't come to watch the film this time can watch it some day.

Housen Short Film Award

“Hammock”

Japan|Director: KISHI Kentaro (岸建太朗)

Jury Comment:

Mostly shot inside a house “Hammock” is that rare short film which reflects big human tragedies and feelings like loss, memories, dreams and hopes in a perfect combination through the perspective of a child who hardly speaks a word in the film. “Hammock” is a multi-layered emotional drama which should be made into a feature film.

Comment from Director KISHI Kentaro (岸建太朗):

My short film “Hammock” was born from my personal experiences gained over the course of ten years, starting when I visited Israel and Palestine in 2007 and including my daughter who was born in 2010. I am honored that the film was selected, screened, and received the “Housen Short Film Award” at Osaka Asian Film Festival 2020, in spite of it being such a small film.

I appreciate the jury members, director Anshul CHAUHAN and Mr. MORIWAKI Kiyotaka, Programming Director TERUOKA Sozo, the OAFF staff, and all of the cast and staff from “Hammock”. I would also like to deeply thank my late friends, the mountaineer KURIKI Fumikazu and screenwriter NISHIHARA Ryo, and my dearly departed grandfather KISHI Kameji who died in Operation Imphal. The existence of these three helped support me to make “Hammock”.

I will do my best to show this film to more people, and I wish that the prayers I wanted to say through this film reach a wider audience.

Audience Award

“Better Days”

少年的你

China, Hong Kong| Director: Derek TSANG (曾國祥)

Comment from Director Derek TSANG (曾國祥) :

8 years ago, my first feature film "Lover's Discourse" was involved in OAFF, and I had participated in OAFF with Jimmy Wan. That was my very first time in my life as a filmmaker to win the prize, Grand Prix. Now, after 8 years, I am so happy but at the same time having mixed feelings to know that "Better Days" won the Audience Award. I was so sad that I could not participate in OAFF and communicate with the audience because of the coronavirus and for my private reasons. I am grateful to all the audience who love our film, and wish to extend my gratitude to OAFF staff members.

Before I knew it, 8 years had passed. The world has changed and so must I. Still, filmmaking is my abiding passion, fortunately. From now on and forever, I will devote myself to making films.