Japanese movie The Tale of Iya wins Best Film Award
The Tale of Iya
Japanese movie The Tale of Iya wins Best Film Award
31 March 2014
The Asia House Pan-Asia Film Festival is thrilled to announce The Tale of Iya as the winner of its second annual Best Film Award.
Praised by The Independent’s Kaleem Aftab and the Telegraph’s Robbie Collin, this beautiful, poetic drama about the relationship between man and nature is the second feature from director Tetsuichiro Tsuta, a fresh new voice from Japan. The Festival screening was presented in conjunction with screening partners the Glasgow Film Festival.
A panel of jurors including Joey Leung of Terracotta Film Festival/Terracotta Distribution, and Satwant Gill of London Film Festival decided the award.
Gill said: “The Tale Of Iya is a rhapsodic paean to nature and rural life. Right from the off, with its stunning opening sequence, understated yet strong performances match the landscape’s breathtaking visual poetry. A very assured second feature from a young director with a very promising future.”
Leung added: “A wonderful story of man and his place in nature, blended with the over popular topic of new world order versus established tradition.
All films selected for this year’s Asia House Pan-Asia Film Festival were eligible for consideration for the Best Film Award. The Festival team created a shortlist that was then submitted to the judging panel. The panel independently assessed each film, giving a mark out of 20.
Now in its sixth year, the Asia House 2014 Pan-Asia Film Festival ran from 26 February – 9 March, and included seven UK premieres and two London premieres.
Highlights included the UK Premieres of Unforgiven (dir. Sang-il Lee, Japan), Dangerous Liaisons (dir. Jin-ho Hur, China), Mary is Happy, Mary is Happy (dir. Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit, Thailand), Kami’s Party (dir. Ali Ahmadzade, Iran) and Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain (dir. Ravi Kumar, India/UK).
With a focus on the most powerful new films from both established and new directors, reflecting the challenging nature of Asia in a globalised world, the Asia House Pan-Asia Film Festival has built a reputation for screening the most dynamic and challenging cinema from all over Asia. With films from Iran to Japan presented in the UK for the first time, the Festival allows audiences to explore and comprehend Asian cultures via films, Q&As and events.
For more information, please contact: Stuart Haggas
press@eastendfilmfestival.com | 020 7364 7917 | 077 1424 4039
NOTES TO EDITORS
Asia House Pan-Asia Film Festival 2014 is sponsored by Prudential plc.
Asia House Pan-Asia Film Festival Best Film Award
The Asia House Pan-Asia Film Festival (PAFF) Best Film Award is awarded to one title from the PAFF programme. Selected from a shortlist of six films, the Award is presented to the film that judges feel offers the most compelling and relevant example of new Asian cinema in 2014. Often the work of established, internationally known directors is pitted against emerging young filmmakers. The inaugural Award was presented last year to 111 Girls (dir. Nahid Ghobadi and Bijan Zamanpira).
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