Awards
International Competition
The International Competition is open to feature films at least 60 minutes in length, which were produced in 2019 or 2020, and shot and edited digitally by directors with fewer than three feature film credits to their name. This year, we received 883 entries from 106 countries and regions. Among them a total of the very best ten films were selected. Eight of them are powerful dramas with themes such as the complexity of human beings and the bitterness and hopes of life depicted in a variety of genres such as psychological horror, cynical comedy, and family drama. This year also features two documentaries with contrasting tastes. Their style and unique points of view reflect the modern society of our time. After the final round of judging by four international jury members, awards are given to the winners including the Grand Prize. In addition, the SKIP CITY AWARD will be given to one Japanese film in the International Competition or the Japanese Film Competition, providing access to SKIP CITY facilities for a limited time.
International Competition Awards Details
| Grand Prize |
Certificate and trophy are given by the festival organizers. Cash prize of 1,000,000 yen. |
| Best Director |
Certificate and trophy are given by the festival organizers. Cash prize of 500,000 yen. |
| Special Jury Prize |
Certificate and trophy are given by the festival organizers. Cash prize of 300,000 yen. |
| SKIP CITY AWARD |
*Given to a Japanese filmmaker, whose next feature project is highly anticipated. Certificate and trophy are given by the festival organizers. The SKIP CITY AWARD grants the recipient free access to the audio and video facilities at Sai-no-Kuni Visual Plaza for a limited time. |
| Audience Award |
Determined by the votes received during the festival． Certificate and trophy are given by the festival organizers. Gift produced in Saitama Prefecture is given. |
Japanese Film Competition
The Japanese Film Feature Competition accepts entries completed in 2019 and 2020 at least 60 minutes in length. The Japanese Film Short Competition accepts entries at least 15 but under 60 minutes in length. This year, we received 78 features and 286 shorts, with five features and nine shorts being nominated. It’s a selection of some of the emerging talent who will shine in the Japanese film industry in the future, and it features a strong lineup that displays each director's unique perspective, in both the feature and short films. After the final round of judging by three jury members who are cinema experts, the Best Picture is given to winners in both the Feature and Short categories. In addition, the SKIP CITY AWARD will be given to one Japanese film in the International Competition or the Japanese Film Competition.
Japanese Film Competition Awards Details
| Best Picture (Japanese Feature category) |
Certificate and trophy are given by the festival organizers. Cash prize of 300,000 yen. |
| Best Picture (Japanese Short category) |
Certificate and trophy are given by the festival organizers. Cash prize of 200,000 yen. |
| SKIP CITY AWARD |
*Given to a Japanese filmmaker, whose next feature project is highly anticipated. Certificate and trophy are given by the festival organizers. The SKIP CITY AWARD grants the recipient free access to the audio and video facilities at Sai-no-Kuni Visual Plaza for a limited time. |
| Audience Award (in Feature and Short categories) |
Determined by the votes received during the festival. Certificate and trophy are given by the festival organizers. Gift produced in Saitama Prefecture is given. |
