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＞ Hilde Susan Jægtnes (Screenplay) “Handle with Care”
― How do you feel after receiving the Grand Prize?
I stopped breathing when the film title came up on the screen. I am very sorry for not being able to come to the festival with Director Arild Andresen, Co-scriptwriter Jorge Camacho and the Producers, as the only representative of the film here. I would like to tell them right away. I became very proud when I heard the reason why the film was chosen by the jury. I remembered all the turning points in my life, and am truly happy and feel thankful.
― What do you think after participating in the D-Cinema FESTIVAL?
I’ve really enjoyed my days here because everyone has welcomed me warmly. I am truly touched by the great hospitality from everyone. I experienced lots of things not only in Urawa and Kawaguchi but also in Tokyo. I truly enjoyed myself and so cannot express my feelings in one word.
＜Best Director＞ Haibo Yu (Director) “China's Van Goghs”
―How do you feel after receiving the Best Director?
I’m simply happy.
― What do you think after participating in the D-Cinema FESTIVAL?
I came here to participate in the film festival, so I am truly grateful for receiving such a wonderful award. I think Japan is a beautiful country and I am amazed by the Japanese people who live and work so efficiently. I live in China and so Japan is a country that I could only imagine. Through participating in this festival, I really appreciate the festival as a filmmaker.
＜Special Jury Prize＞ Roland Vranik (Director) “The Citizen”
― How do you feel after receiving the Special Jury Prize?
I am very happy. It depends on the festival, whether they tell us beforehand if we have won an award or not, but this festival didn’t inform us. I heard the result at the ceremony, and so I was really excited to receive the award.
― What do you think after participating in the D-Cinema FESTIVAL?
It is my first time to come to Tokyo and the first trip my wife and I have taken without bringing our children in 8 years, so this is a very nice trip! Being a film director is not as easy a thing as you might dream it up to be, and so I always do my best. Every day I think about how much work I can do. I try my best. Keeping on working hard is important and I’ll keep going.
＜SKIP CITY AWARD＞ Yoshio Kato (Director) “3ft Ball & Souls”
― How do you feel after receiving the SKIP CITY AWARD?
The film was shot in 2016 and completed in February, 2017, so it just made it before the deadline. But I was thinking that the film was entertaining while editing it and hoping the film could be nominated for the SKIP CITY INTERNATIONAL D-Cinema FESTIVAL. Once the film was nominated, I also felt sad because it is not only mine but the audience’s although I always want it to be mine. Although I had such feelings, I am happy too because movies are really only completed after being watched by an audience and I think that more people will have a chance to see my film now because it has won such a great award.
― What do you think after participating in the D-Cinema FESTIVAL?
After my previous film Plastic Crime was nominated to this festival, my motivation for filmmaking escalated and so I made this film 3ft Ball & Souls. I think movies can change people’s lives. I also think everyone has one film which changes their lives, and so they might receive courage, decide on their future, or find their lifetime partners from the film. I want to make the kind of films which could affect people’s way of thinking.
Award Winners of Short Length Competition
＜Best Picture＞ Naoya Asanuma (Director) “if winter burned”
― How do you feel after receiving the Best Picture?
I think it was really great that I made this film, because I made it with only 5 members in the cast and crew, while some other nominated films were made on a much higher budget.
― What do you think after participating in the D-Cinema FESTIVAL?
I truly think this festival is great for the audience because I watched some feature films and shorts and all of them were great. It’s a very rare experience for me to think that all the selected films were great, and so I enjoyed myself whenever I came to the festival. I would like to continue to make films which reflect society like this film which was based on a true story.
＜Honorable Mention＞ Nobuyuki Miyake (Director) “SIREN”
― How do you feel after receiving the Honorable Mention?
I felt a bit of mortified when I heard the film received the Honorable Mention as I had already received the same award before (with No Longer There in 2013). I am honestly happy to receive the award at this festival, however, because there are a lot of people in the audience here with a deep understanding of film.
― What do you think after participating in the D-Cinema FESTIVAL?
I made SIREN with more focus on attracting the audience than I did with No Longer There. I had a great time at the festival because I received enthusiastic responses from the audience. Although I have made many short films, I would like to come back to this festival with a feature film and to do my best to be able to make a feature film which many people will come to watch.
＜Honorable Mention＞ Tetsuhiko Tsuchiya (Director) “Remember!”
― How do you feel after receiving the Honorable Mention?
I watched all 12 short films in the competition. I am truly honored because there were lots of films which made me reflect on my own filmmaking, and somehow it was my film that was chosen for the award.
― What do you think after participating in the D-Cinema FESTIVAL?
I was amazed with the high quality of this year’s short films (in comparison to my impression of the films in 2012 when I participated with A Blazing Fastball). Also, this is something that hasn’t changed since 5 years ago, I think there is a unique atmosphere at the festival, for example at the Q&A sessions. It is an excitement with tension, and not just fun. I feel that the festival considers the films seriously and tries to allow them to shine. As a viewer, seeing anything interesting, touching, or thought-provoking, makes me want to create those kinds of films, be they feature films or shorts.
Award Winners of Animation Competition
＜Best Picture＞ Iku Ogawa (Director) “I Think You're a Little Confused”
― How do you feel after receiving the Best Picture?
It’s been more than one year since I made this film as my thesis film for graduate school. I’m very happy, however, because it’s the first time I’ve received an award in Japan.
― What do you think after participating in the D-Cinema FESTIVAL?
As I’m an animation filmmaker, I was very curious about the selection of the nominated animation films. There was a very wide range of films; different styles and types. Film festivals usually have a particular taste in films, so I thought it was an interesting selection at this festival. Although I work for an animation company, I get motivation to make my own films when attending film festivals. This award encourages me to continue to make my own films.
＜Honorable Mention＞ Michika Hamamura (Director) “Takeda Station Memories”
― How do you feel after receiving the Honorable Mention?
This is the first nomination to a film festival for this film although I submitted it to many festivals and awards. I am truly happy to receive the Honorable Mention as I didn’t expect to win an award at all.
― What do you think after participating in the D-Cinema FESTIVAL?
I’m very honored to be selected to this festival because I thought the audience asked meaningful questions and understood the films deeply while watching films in some other sections. I would like to keep making animations, but I would like to learn more about the creative process as I receive some job offers for music videos and commercial films.