Japanese film director Sho Miyake's "Tabi to Hibi" ("Two Seasons, Two Strangers") has won the top prize in the international competition division at the 78th Locarno Film Festival on Saturday.
Miyake, 41, was handed the Pardo d'Oro, or Golden Leopard, prize at the award ceremony held in Locarno, southern Switzerland, on Saturday.
This is the first Japanese movie to receive the award since 2007, when "Ai no Yokan" ("The Rebirth"), directed by Masahito Kobayashi, was given the prize.
Tabi to Hibi depicts a story in which a playwright who gets stuck takes a fresh look at her life through an encounter during a trip. South Korean actress Shim Eun-kyung plays the role of the playwright. Japanese actor Shinichi Tsutsumi and Japanese actress Yumi Kawai also perform in the movie.
The movie will hit the screen in Japan in November.
In a speech, Miyake said that all the actors, actresses and staff members who created the movie together did a really beautiful job, adding that he is truly proud of them.
"Massugu na Kubi" ("A Very Straight Neck"), directed by Neo Sora and starring Japanese actress Sakura Ando, was named the best short film at the latest festival.
In the past, three other Japanese movies won the top prize at the Locarno Film Festival — Teinosuke Kinugasa's "Jigokumon" ("Gate of Hell") in 1954, Kon Ichikawa's "Nobi" ("Fires on the Plain") in 1961 and Akio Jissoji's "Mujo" ("This Transient Life") in 1970.
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