‘Sister Brother Manhole Cover’ Wins Top Prize at Tokyo Film Festival

Milcho Manchevski’s “Sister Brother Manhole Cover,” a comic allegory about two siblings who strip scrap metal from the streets of Skopje, won the Tokyo Grand Prix at the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival on Wednesday.

A jury headed by Rolf de Heer gave the top prize, which comes with JPY3 million ($19,000), to Manchevski’s first fiction feature since “Kaymak.” Victor and Marina make their living stealing manhole covers and copper busts. Then a pilfered bronze bust of a national hero lands on Victor’s foot, and the pair tumble into the lowest depths of the North Macedonian capital. The film is a co-production between North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Albania, Italy and the U.K.

The Special Jury Prize, worth JPY500,000 ($3,200), went to Sun Xun’s “Magic Atlas” from Singapore, an animated feature the Chinese-born artist spent about a decade making. In it, an orphan inherits a magician’s book and uses it to recover the memories an authoritarian empire has buried. The animation moves from ink-wash painting to medieval European engraving.

Lisandro Alonso won best director for “Double Freedom,” which the festival presents as a kind of sequel to his 2001 debut “La Libertad.” A solitary woodcutter’s life in the forest unravels when he has to take in his sister after her psychiatric facility closes. The directing, acting and artistic contribution prizes each carry JPY300,000 ($1,900).

Japan’s win in the main competition came in the acting category. Narita Ryo was named best actor for Mishima Yukiko’s “Two Cigarettes, Three Nights.” He plays a longtime friend who reconnects with a stalled Kyoto illustrator, played by Matsuoka Mayu, across three nights in three cities. Best actress went to Hu Ling for Wang Jiangyong’s first feature, “The Night That Binds Us.” She plays a grieving Shanghai dormitory manager who falls for a younger student whose parents have been arrested on suspicion of fraud.

Jelena Maksimović’s first feature, “Until the Day Ends,” took the award for best artistic contribution. In it, a student activist and a young government supporter take to the road together during Serbia’s 2024 protests. The audience award, which carries no cash prize, went to Teodora Ana Mihai’s “Heysel 85.” The film recreates the 1985 Brussels stadium disaster, in which fan violence before the European Cup final killed 39 people.

Rolf de Heer’s fellow competition jurors were producers Alex Lo and Oh Jungwan, actor Watanabe Makiko and colorist Yov Moor.

In the Asian Future section, Tareq Daoud’s Swiss-Turkish “Serife Tavsan” won best film and JPY1 million ($6,300). In it, a recently widowed woman in her 70s sets out to please herself, and her children object to her new lifestyle and friendships. Ariani Darmawan’s Indonesian film “Jani Be Good” received a special mention. Set over four days before Christmas, it follows a girl who clashes with her single mother after her older sister leaves home.

Nippon Cinema Now’s best film went to Tanaka Miki’s debut “Silver Express,” which won JPY500,000 ($3,200). In it, a young woman who has never been attracted to anyone romantically bonds with a man who is wired the same way. Matsumura Shingo’s “Between Us” took the section’s Special Jury Prize and JPY300,000 ($1,900). It follows two former child performers who meet again in their high school drama club six years after a family camping trip split them up.

Isabelle Stever’s “I Rarely Wake Up Dreaming” won the TIFF Ethical Film Award and JPY200,000 ($1,300). The award was judged by a jury headed by actor Isomura Hayato. Based on a true story, the film follows a queer Ukrainian couple who are trapped when Russia invades just after one partner legally changes his gender marker, because military-service rules stop him from leaving.

In the Asian Students’ Film Conference, a competition for shorts made by students at film schools across Asia, Nguyen Vu Hien Chi’s “Running Wild in the Sun” won best film and JPY300,000 ($1,900). Nah Yi-chen’s “Everything’s Peachy” and Kim Nam-hyeon’s “All of Her” shared the Special Jury Prize and receive JPY100,000 ($630) each.

The Kurosawa Akira Award, worth JPY1 million ($6,300) to each recipient, went to O Mipo and Mohammad Rasoulof. Bill Kramer, CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, received the Global Cinema Leadership Special Award.

The festival ran Oct. 26–Nov. 4.

Full list of winners:

Tokyo Grand Prix / The Governor of Tokyo Award
“Sister Brother Manhole Cover,” dir. Milcho Manchevski

Special Jury Prize
“Magic Atlas,” dir. Sun Xun

Best Director
Lisandro Alonso, “Double Freedom”

Best Actress
Hu Ling, “The Night That Binds Us”

Best Actor
Narita Ryo, “Two Cigarettes, Three Nights”

Best Artistic Contribution
“Until the Day Ends,” dir. Jelena Maksimović

Audience Award
“Heysel 85,” dir. Teodora Ana Mihai

Asian Future Best Film
“Serife Tavsan,” dir. Tareq Daoud

Asian Future Special Mention
“Jani Be Good,” dir. Ariani Darmawan

Nippon Cinema Now Best Film
“Silver Express,” dir. Tanaka Miki