2009 Tokyo Film Festival Awards
2009 Tokyo Film Festival: October 17-25, 2009
In Kamen Kalev's Bulgarian drama Eastern Plays, two estranged brothers are unexpectedly brought together after they play opposing roles in a racist beating — Georgi is a new member of a neo-Nazi group; Itso, a drug-addicted artist, rescues the victimized Turkish family. Compounding matters, Georgi (Ovanes Torosian) starts to question his place in the neo-nazi movement while Itso (Tokyo best actor winner Christo Christov) falls for the Turkish girl he saved. Eastern Plays is the second film featuring neo-nazi characters to win a top international film festival prize this week. Nicolo Donato's Danish drama Brotherhood, about two neo-nazis who fall in love with one another, was the winner at the Rome Film Festival a few days ago.
Tokyo SAKURA Grandprix: Eastern Plays, Director: Kamen Kalev
Best Director: Kamen Kalev, Eastern Plays
Special Jury Prize: Rabia, Director: Sebastian Cordero
Best Actress: Julie Gayet, Huit fois debout / Eight Times Up
Best Actor: Christo Christov (above left, with Ovanes Torosian), Eastern Plays
Audience Award: The Trotsky, Director: Jacob Tierney
Earth Grand Prix: Wolf, Director: Nicolas Vanier
Winds of Asia / Middle East
Best Asian Film Award: A Brand New Life, Director: Ounie Lecomte
Special Contribution Award: Yasmin Ahmad
Special Mention: I Saw the Sun, Director: Mahsun Kirmizigül
Japanese Eyes
Best Picture Award: LIVE TAPE, Director: Tetsuaki Matsue
Tokyo International Film Festival Site