The Japanese films at this year's Tokyo International Film Festival were a varied lot, from the multiplex fare in the Special Screenings and Japan Now sections to the indies in the Japanese Cinema Splash, Competition and Asian Future sections.
But only one came away with a prize: Hirobumi Watanabe's "Poolsideman" — a funny, chilling, minimal portrait of a terrorist in embryo — won Japanese Cinema Splash's best picture award.
Though this was the only Japanese film to win, Watanabe and his brother Yuji, the film's composer and producer, weren't the only Japanese accepting awards at TIFF's closing ceremony on Nov. 3: Kiyoshi Kurosawa received the Samurai Award for lifetime achievement, while actor Satoshi Tsumabuki, actress Mitsuki Takahata and animation director Makoto Shinkai, maker of the megahit "your name." ("Kimi no Na wa."), accepted Arigato awards for their contributions to the Japanese film industry. Another awardee, Godzilla, remained silent (if restless) on stage as Akihiro Yamauchi, executive producer of this year's monster smash, "Shin Godzilla," spoke on his behalf.