Shinji Aoyama, an internationally acclaimed film director who won the award for the movie "EUREKA" at the Cannes Film Festival, died at a hospital in Tokyo on the 21st of this month due to esophageal cancer.
He was 57 years old.
Originally from Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Aoyama started filming while in college and made his debut as a film director with "Helpless" in 1996.
In 2000, his director and screenwriter "EUREKA" won the International Critics Federation Award at the Cannes Film Festival and was highly acclaimed.
In addition to working on numerous films, he is also active as a novelist, and has won the Mishima Yukio Prize for his debut work, which is based on the scenario of "EUREKA".
He also worked to nurture younger generations, such as teaching movies at university.
According to the office he belongs to, Mr. Aoyama was found to have esophageal cancer last spring and was planning the next work while continuing to fight illness, but his condition suddenly changed on the 21st of this month, and in Tokyo. He died in the hospital.
He was 57 years old.