Mainichi Concours

[Ono Seiko and Aaron Gerow]

The winners of the 52nd Mainichi Concours were announced in this 
morning's Mainichi.  The Concours is one of the longest running film 
awards in Japan, though its slant has always been towards the popular and 
films distributed by the majors.  Awards given to individuals are not for 
individual films, but for their work over the year.

Japanese Film Grand Prize: Mononoke hime (The Phantom Princess)
Awards for Excellence: Unagi (The Eel); Yukai (Abduction); Rajio no jikan 
(Radio Times)
Best Director: Imamura Shohei (Unagi)
Best Screenplay: Mitani Koki (Rajio no jikan)
Best Actor: Harada Yoshio (Onibi (The Fire Within))
Best Actress: Momoi Kaori (Tokyo yakyoku)
Best Supporting Actor: Taguchi Tomoro (Unagi; Tetto Musashinosen)
Best Supporting Actress: Baisho Mitsuko (Unagi; Tokyo yakyoku)
Best Cinematography: Kimura Daisaku (Yukai); Tamura Masaki (Moe no 
suzaku; Duo)
Supo Nichi Grand Prize New Face Award: Hirosue Ryoko (20-seiki 
nosutarugia); Yoshikawa Hinano (Setonai Moonlight Serenade)
Best Animated Film: Mononoke hime

I was glad to see the awards to Taguchi and Tamura, but disappointed that 
all the other acting awards went to veterans: were there really no 
younger actors to honor (except such idol-chan as Ryoko-chan and 
Hinano-chan)?  The Awards are selected by a small committee of fairly old 
critics.


Aaron Gerow
Yokohama National University
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