Milcho Manchevski’s ‘Sister Brother Manhole Cover’ Wins Top Prize at Tokyo Film Fest

Manchevski’s film takes top honor

Sister Brother Manhole Cover, directed by Macedonian filmmaker Milcho Manchevski, won the Tokyo International Film Festival’s Grand Prix. The event concluded on a rainy day in the Japanese capital, matching the weather when it began.

The film centers on maternal and sibling love among people living on society’s edges, alongside the wealth gap. It is Manchevski’s first feature since Kaymak, which competed at the Tokyo festival in 2022.

The award carries 3 million yen, equivalent to $19,000. Producer Kortoshev accepted it for Manchevski, who had already departed Tokyo and sent a video message; leads Sara Klimoska and Filip Trajkovikj attended.

Other competition awards announced

Argentina’s Lisandro Alonso received the best director award for Double Freedom. Magic Atlas, by Sun Xun, earned the special jury prize after taking more than a decade to complete.

Magic Atlas was the first animated film chosen for Tokyo’s main competition. Hu Ling was named best actress for The Night That Binds Us, a France-Hong Kong co-production.

Japan’s sole award went to Narita Ryo, named best actor for Two Cigarettes, Three Nights. The jury included producers Alex Lo and Oh Jungwan, actor Watanabe Makiko and colorist Yov Moor, and was headed by Australian filmmaker Rolf de Heer.

Audience and regional prizes

Serife Tavsan, directed by Afghan filmmaker Tareq Daoud, won the Asian Future competition for emerging regional filmmakers. The prize includes 1 million yen, or $6,325.

Festival draws thousands of viewers

The 39th festival ran for 10 days across Tokyo’s Hibiya-Marunouchi-Yurakucho-Ginza area. Screenings featured 204 films and attracted more than 69,000 attendees. That attendance was slightly higher than last year’s figure. The festival closed in the Japanese capital after its rainy opening and finish.