45th Blue Ribbon Awards

[Roland Domenig]

after winning most prices at this year's kinema junpo voting, it didn't come
as a surprise that yamada yoji's TASOGARE SEIBEI also won the 45th blue
ribbon award as best film. the blue ribbon awards are selected by film
writers for the seven big tokyo sports newspapers. yamada won the directors
award, miyazawa rie the award for best supporting actress and kitaoka reiko
the best actress award for her role in HUSH. sato koshi picked up the best
actors award for KT and follows in the footsteps of his father mikuni
rentaro who has won the best actors award four times. the award for best
newcomer went to nakamura shido (PING PONG) the offspring of another famous
actors family (his uncle nakamura (yorozuka) kinnosuke was one of toei's big
jidaigeki-stars in the 50s and 60s).

TASOGARE SEIBEI is also the great favourite for the japan academy awards.
two days ago it was nominated in all 13 categories. the awards will be
announced on march 7th.

TASOGARE SEIBEI will be shown in the main competition of the upcoming berlin
film festival and we will see whether it fares with an international
audience as well as with a japanese (i wonder).


roland domenig
institute of east asian studies
vienna university