A Greek documentary depicting cultural exchanges between Greece and Japan has won the top prize in an annual competition for films and videos on Japan, organizers announced Monday.
Inaugurated in 1957, the Competition for Films and Videos on Japan is aimed at promoting a better understanding of Japan overseas.
The annual competition is organized by the Association for the Diffusion of Japanese Films Abroad and the Japan Association of Audiovisual Producers and has the backing of the Foreign Ministry. The Japan Times also supports the event.
For this year's competition, the 46th, six works out of 50 submissions, including 34 entries from abroad, received prizes.
The Gold Prize went to "Greece of the Rising Sun," produced by ERT S.A. and directed by Lambis Tsirigotakis. The work also received The Japan Times Prize.
The Silver Prize went to "Sekishu Banshi," produced by Nikkei Visual Images and directed by Yoichi Kurosaki, as well as to "Seasons from Hiroshige and Hokusai," produced by Umut Sanat Productions and directed by Artun Yeres from Turkey.
The Special Jury Prize was awarded to "Noh Seen From Somewhere Else," produced by Zef Cie and directed by Valerie Touze & Jean-Marie Vinclair of France, and "Nexttv: Going Japanese," produced by City TV and directed by Canadian Judith Pyke. The French work also received the Foreign Minister's Prize.
"The Domain of Mononoke," produced by Tohokushinsha Film Corp. and directed by Satoru Banno and Mitsutaka Saito, received the Special Merit Prize.