Liza Foreman

5th Okinawa International Movie Festival

Award Winners:

Laugh Category Uminchu Prize Grand Prix (Cash Award of 1,000,000 Yen)

CHINESE ZODIAC Director: Jackie Chan

Comment From Director Jackie Chan:

Wow! it's indeed a good news and a pre-birthday gift to me. Thank you so much for this award, which is very encouraging. I'm so happy that you love CHINESE ZODIACH, which I spent 6 years for preparation and 1 year filming. If you haven't yet got the chance to watch the movie at the 5th Okinawa International Movie Festival, it will be released in Japan soon, so please look forward to it. Thank you once again and I love you all!

Peace Category Uminchu Prize Grand Prix (Cash Award of 1,000,000 Yen)

THE HAPPY LIFE OF DEBBIE Director: Tien Yu Fu

＊This award reflects the combined results of deliberations by Fan Juries chosen from all over Japan and the audience vote collected at the screening venues in Okinawa.

Comment From Director Tien Yu Fu:

Thank you for the award. I’m very happy. This is my second time at the festival, but I hope there will be many more opportunities and I will try my best to be invited.

Comment From Actress Jade Chou:

It’s my first time here at the Okinawa International Movie Festival. I’m happy as the title of our film suggests. I’m surprised to have received this award. I think the theme of Laugh & Peace is wonderful, so I hope to participate again.

Special Jury Prize / Golden SHISA Award

BARFI! Director: Anurag Basu

＊Selected by Jury Committee that consists of juries who are active internationally.　

Comment From Associate Producer Rucha Pathak:

I’m very honored to receive this award chosen by distinguished members of the jury. Barfi is an Indian sweet and I hope the film was as sweet as it tastes. I’m very happy that you’re all smiling today.   

Special Mention                         

MENTAL Director: P.J. Hogan

＊selected by Jury Committee that consists of juries for the competition.

Comment From Producer Jocelyn Moorhouse:

PJ and I are deeply thankful to the Okinawa International Movie Festival for welcoming our movie, MENTAL to Okinawa. We are thrilled that it won the Special Mention Award and would like to thank the Jury for this honor.

Comments From Jury Members

Joel Schumacher, the head of Jury Committee

I love the Okinawa International Movie Festival, and I love Okinawa and Okinawa people who have been wonderful to me. I was privilege to be the head of Jury, we saw films from all over the world. And I especially admire the Okinawa International Movie Festival and Yoshimoto for reaching out to the community. There are a lot of ways for community to be involved. So I felt it was the festival very much of, for, and by the people.

Kaori Momoi

To laugh is wonderful!　This is the festival that cheers up my body and soul!

His Excellency Demon Kakka

Hahahahaha! I was supposed to watch a lot of films in such a short period of time, so I was afraid that I would think, “Well, I don’t want any more films for a while.” When I finished watching all of the films, I got a feeling that I wanted to see more. It made me realize the great thing about film. All other juries are in the film business, and they gave many professional comments on each films, and I’ve learned so much from them. The films we reviewed are not the commercial titles, which you can see them everywhere in Japan, but all of them are well-made and we had a difficult time choosing the films for the Golden SHISA award. I learned so much from this opportunity and discovered great creators in our selection. Also, my fellow juries, a bunch of film professionals and I were truly touched by the great atmosphere of the festival and the cheering audience on the red carpet. Everyone enjoys the Okinawa International Movie Festival and it’s getting better and stronger every year. I strongly feel this to be true! Well, I, the Demon, approve tis festival! Hahahaha!

Claude Gagnon

It was a wonderful and memorable experience. All the jury members were exceptional people starting with Joel Schumacher, a warm human being and a remarkable director, irresistible Kaori Momoi and talented Demon Kakka. All the guests loved the festival and I am confident it will grow into a major International Film Festival.

Award Winners

The Local Origination Project

JIMOT CM COMPETITION

＜JIMOT CM Prefectures of Japan＞

• Prize money: JPY470,000　
• The number of entries: 794
• Bungotagada, OITA (Conceptor: Kota Mochiyama)

Final selected prefectures: HOKKAIDO, GUNMA, NIIGATA, FUKUOKA, OITA

＜JIMOT CM 41 Municipalities in Okinawa＞

• Prize money: JPY410,000 
• The number of entries 214
• Itoman, OKINAWA (Conceptor: Yua Nagata)
• Final selected regions: Ginowan, Naha, Itoman, Tarama, Taketomi

Creators Factory

＊A brand new section at the 5^th OIMF, which aims to uncover “the next generation of creative artists.” A winner of the top award will be provided with the full support of Yoshimoto Kogyo for their next production.

・Best New Creators Award 

“ODAYAKA”　Producer : Kiki Sugino

<Comment From Kiki Sugino >

Thank you very much for such a wonderful award along with the Best Actress Award. I believe this project along with the entire concept of the festival to be “Laugh and Peace” is great. Since I produced this film to put our hope of peace, I am honored to receive such an award.

・Best Actor Award

Hyun Joong Kim from “Lucky Guy”

<Comment From Hyun Joong Kim >

I’m greatly honored to receive such an award. I watch many Japanese films. I’m hoping to be casted for any kind of films including action. The nationality of the film doesn’t matter. I would be happy to be in a Japanese film some day.

・Best Actress Award
Kiki Sugino from “ODAYAKA”　

・Special Award

『Co-op Nichi Nichi no Kurashi』　Directed and written by Manami Wakai

<Comment>

Thank you very much for such a great award. Usually, I work all by myself, but I had many people helping me out to complete this film, so I am very happy to receive this award. I am thankful to all. For my next project, I would like to make a film, which shows that a lonely kid can be happy as he/she is.

Special guest at the Award ceremony：Kaori Momoi, Actress

<Comment>

“Creator’s Factory” project is a great competition to find talented creators. There are of course young creators, but also some experienced ones, who are not yet discovered. I truly hope that this project will continue to discover them in the future.

Jury：Kazuyoshi Okuyama, Producer

<Comment>

We would like to continue this project and produce new films in order to discover new talented creators. We hope to open up the opportunity for them.

Jury：Itsuji Itao, Director, Comedian, Actor

<Comment>

It is more fun to work as a jury for films rather than a jury for comedy. I hope that there would be more new films made in Okinawa. I also hope that there would be more new creators coming out every year.

Jury：Kaze Shindo, Director

<Comment>

It was my great honor to be a part of this “Creator’s Factory” project. And, I am happy to see that all these different films had received the awards. I personally would like to try out with my new project in the future.