Alternative Film Guide

Eran Kolirin’s The Band’s Visit, about an Egyptian police band stranded in a small Israeli town, was the top winner at the 2007 edition of the Tokyo Film Festival. The Band’s Visit has also won the Jury Coup de Coeur Award at the Cannes Film Festival (in the Un Certain Regard sidebar), two European Film Awards, and eight Ophir Awards from the Israeli Film Academy. The film is also up for a Spirit Award for best foreign-language film. The US-based Academy was much criticized for disqualifying The Band’s Visit from the foreign-language film Oscar category because most of the film’s dialogue is in English.

Tokyo Sakura Grand Prix
The Band’s Visit (Director Eran Kolirin)

Special Jury Prize
The Western Trunk Line (Director Li Jixian)

Award for Best Director
Director Peter Howitt Dangerous Parking

Award for Best Actress
Shefali Shah Gandhi My Father

Award for Best Actor
Damian Ul Tricks

Award for Best Artistic Contribution
The Waltz (Director Salvatore Maira)

The Audience Award
Leroy (Director Armin Voelckers)

Best Asian-Middle Eastern Film Award
Singapore Dreaming (Directors Yen Yen Woo and Colin Goh)

Asian Film Special Mention
Dancing Bells (Director Deepak Kumaran Menon)

Japanese Eyes Best Picture Award
United Red Army (Director Koji Wakamatsu)

Japanese Eyes Special Award
Tears of Kitty (Director Toshiyuki Morioka)

The 4th Akira Kurosawa Award
David Puttnam