“Uncle,” Danish director Frelle Petersen’s drama about a young woman’s life on a small farm with her disabled uncle, was awarded the Tokyo Grand Prix at the closing ceremony Tuesday of the 32nd Tokyo International Film Festival. Shot in rural Denmark with real-life farmer Peter Hansen Tygesen playing the title role, the film had its world premiere in the Japanese capital.
Winner of the second-place Special Jury Prize was “Atlantis,” Ukrainian director Valentyn Vasyanovych’s near-future drama.
Iran’s Saeed Roustaee was named Best Director for his thriller “6.5.” Navid Mohammadzadeh’s performance in the film earned him the Best Actor trophy.
The Best Actress award went to Nadia Tereszhiewicz for her performance in Dominik Moll’s “Only the Animals.” The film also scooped the Audience Award.
The Best Screenplay prize went to Shin Adachi’s “A Beloved Wife,” one of two Japanese films in the competition, while Chinese director Wang Rui was on hand to accept the Best Artistic Contribution award, which went to “Chaogtu With Sarula.”
In the Asian Future section for films by up-and-coming Asian directors, the Best Film award went to “Summer Night” (China) and the Japan Foundation Asia Center’s The Spirit of Asia prize to “Old Men Never Die” (Iran).
In the Japanese Cinema Splash section for Japanese indie films, the Best Film was Tatsuya Mori’s documentary “i – Documentary of the Journalist,” while Hirobumi Watanabe scooped Best Director honors for “Cry.”
Finally, the Tokyo Gemstone Award for new talents went to Josefine Frida, Sairi Ito, Riru Yoshina and Yui Sakuma. The previously announced Lifetime Achievement awardees are actor Tatsuya Nakadai and director Nobuhiko Obayashi.
Held this year from Oct. 28 to Nov. 5, the Tokyo festival recorded 65,211 admissions to 180 films, slightly down from last year, when 187 films were screened.