Interview
■Award Winners of Feature Length Competition
■Award Winners of Short Length Competition
■Award Winners of Animation Competition
Award Winners of Feature Length Competition
＜Grand Prize＞ Ernesto Daranas Serrano (Director) “Behavior”
― How do you feel receiving the Grand Prize?
It is a great joy to share this moment with you. I have lived all my life in the same neighborhood where the film takes place. When I was a boy, more years ago than I would care to admit, all of us kids were big fanatics of the stories of a blind swordsman called Zatōichi. More than twenty films, and we watched each and every one of them several times! Then, during my adolescent years I discovered masters Ozu and Kurosawa. Years have passed, but I’m still an admirer of Japanese culture and that’s why it makes me very happy to discover that, in spite of our geographical distance, the feelings of our peoples can be so close to one another and that cinema has, once again, laid a bridge between us. I would like to thank you on behalf of the “Behavior” team and especially on behalf of the children of the film. They had no previous acting experience and many live a reality similar to that of the film. They are the heart and soul of our movie. Thank you.
＜Best Director＞ Jorge Pérez Solano (Director) “La Tirisia”
―How do you feel receiving the Best Director Award?
I’m very pleased to receive the Best Director Award. I’m really grateful for this award because I think the Jury members appreciated the process of making this film.
―What do you think about SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL?
I never imagined I could come to Japan. I think this festival will go forward to the future. I have gained an opportunity which might lead to my new project as well as the motivation to create by participating in the festival. I have learned a lot about Japanese culture through Japanese films. We can learn new perspectives from different cultures. I think this is reciprocal, so I hope the Japanese audience would learn new things from Mexican films like I do from Japanese films.
＜Best Screenplay＞ Mark Noonan (Director) “You're Ugly Too”
―How do you feel receiving the Best Screenplay Award?
I want to say a huge thank you for giving us the Best Screenplay Award. I spent four years writing the screenplay, and it’s very difficult and it’s wonderful to be acknowledged in this matter. I want to thank you especially for programmers who selected “You’re Ugly Too” to be screened at the festival. I want to thank the Jury members for choosing the film. I want to thank the audience members who watched my film, and I also thank my guide Mihoko, thank you. Thank you for everybody who was involved in “You’re Ugly Too” I really hope to return to Japan. Thank you very much.
＜SKIP CITY AWARD＞ Hanae Uchida (Director) “For the Love of Life: Living for Tomorrow”
―How do you feel receiving the SKIP CITY Award?
I am really honored as well as very surprised because I didn’t expect to receive an award. I am very grateful as I could listen to one audience’s comment directly, which was “the film made me think about what it is to live”. I would like to keep making documentaries, but I am open to make any film. I will move forward with reflecting on myself.
―What do you think about SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL?
I thought the festival is supported by local people and attracts local audiences as volunteer staff were very friendly and the audience talked me at the screening venues.
Award Winners of Short Length Competition
＜Best Picture＞ Raita Yabushita (Director) “I’m an Artist”
―How do you feel receiving the Best Picture?
I am truly stunned because I made this film as something out of the ordinary. I had been watching other short competition films as rivals. I also had watched feature competition films as just a member of the audience and was quite amazed with the quality of the films. I make films with personal themes, but I was impressed with the foreign films in the competition because the personal themes become wider perspectives in their films. I would like to make feature films like this myself.
―What do you think about the SKIP CITY Award?
I had some technical limits from making self-financed films. I hope I can use this award to make films that aren’t so constrained by these limitations.
＜Honorable Mention＞ Sayaka Kai (Director) “Ondine’s Curse”
―How do you feel receiving the Honorable Mention?
I have heard of SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL from directors who are actively working in the industry. I applied for the festival because I made a short film which qualified for the competition. I am very honored to be able to participate in SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL and receive an award because this was my first time to apply for entry into the festival.
―What do you think about SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL?
I thought this is a rare festival that enables many questions to be raised by audiences in Japan. It was very exciting for me to receive lots of feedback, some of it quite harsh. I would like to challenge further things by showing what I like and my personality as I have been preparing my next project.
＜Honorable Mention＞ Noriko Yuasa (Director) “Girl, Wavering”
―How do you feel receiving the Honorable Mention?
I tried to depict the adolescence of teenage girls sharply with modernity. I had been thinking the film wouldn’t be appreciated by mass audiences because the theme is my personal interest. That’s why I am more than happy to receive an award.
―What do you think about SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL?
I feel very happy to participate because the festival is very welcoming. I am very pleased to have enthusiastic questions from the various types of audiences. I would like to keep directing TV programs as well as to make feature films in wide span.
Award Winners of Animation Competition
＜Best Picture＞ Miryan Paku (Director) “The Story That Might be a Dream”
―How do you feel receiving the Best Picture?
I’m very surprised, and also I’m very happy. Thank you very much.
＜Honorable Mention＞ Shigeyosi Tsukahara (Director) “Joseito”
―How do you feel receiving the Honorable Mention?
I would like to thank all my staff because they supported me a lot to make this film. I thought SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL has great screening facilities. I’m very pleased that “Joseito” was screened in cinemascope format because all previous screenings were not formatted for cinemascope. This film was based on a novel, but I would like to make an original film next.
＜Honorable Mention＞ Sayaka Kihata (Director) “I Can’t Breathe”
― How do you feel receiving the Honorable Mention?
I am truly grateful to receive an award because this is my thesis film and a compilation of all I have ever made. I would like to thank my crew who helped out with the music and equipment materials. I would like to keep making sand animations but also to challenge new styles for new projects.
＜Special Jury Prize＞ Yoriko Mizushiri (Director) “Veil”
―How do you feel receiving the Special Jury Prize?
I would like to thank the Jury members for receiving the Special Jury Prize. I am surprised. I think my works are mysterious and difficult to explain. I am very pleased the Jury members appreciated the film including my style.