TOKYO – As the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) roars back into life this year after two years of going hybrid, it brings along with it the jejune of milestones and the dim realities that have beleaguered the Japanese film industry, pre- and during the pandemic.
In one of the festival's most notable highlights, Japanese director Koji Fukada and Mexican filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu were accorded the 2022 Kurosawa Akira Award on Oct. 29, the re-emergence of which after 14 years could not have come at a more critical time according to Hiroyasu Ando, chairman of this year's filmfest.
“A family member of Kurosawa told me that justice and humanity have been the underlying common themes of his films,” Ando said during the awarding ceremony. Looking at the world now, the former diplomat-turned TIFF head said that these are the very same things we currently “need the most.” “The rebirth of the Kurosawa Award is quite timely.”
But for Fukada, the need for justice and humanity hits closer to home.
In his acceptance speech, the Cannes winner brought up the spate of suicide cases which have hounded the film industry such as the deaths of well-known celebrities Yuko Takeuchi, Hana Kimura, Ashina Sei and Haruma Miura.
Koji said while the pandemic exacerbated financial difficulties for an industry that has already been ailing since what he described as the collapse of the film studio system, the pressure from public scrutiny has been another main trigger for mental health problems.
“In the world of art, our work is constantly evaluated, which is another source of stress,” he said. Kimura, former star of reality show “Terrace House” for one, has spoken about the barrage of criticisms she has received online and how she suffered from it before her death by suicide in May 2020.
Fukada also brought up the issue of harassment, which in September hit the headlines as various workers in the film and entertainment industry revealed that they were propositioned sexual deals, were left unpaid and were verbally attacked.
The director mentioned that the Arts Workers Japan has a dedicated email service for film workers that need psychological help. By the end of the year, however, the service is expected to come to an end due to lack of funding.
But Fukada wants to extend its life by donating the prize money of 1 million yen he got from the Kurosawa Award.
“Please make this service known wildly.”
