Berlin Film Festival Earthquake Film "Kaze no Telephone" Receives Special Award February 29 8:27
At the Berlin International Film Festival, one of the world's three largest film festivals, "Wind Phone" depicting a girl who lost her family after the Great East Japan Earthquake received a special award by an international judge.
The Berlin International Film Festival, which opened on the 20th of this month, announced the winners of other categories on the 28th, ahead of the announcement of the Competition category for the Grand Prize.
Among them, in the "Generation 14 Plus" category for young people, "Kaze no Telephone", directed by Atsuhiko Suwa of Japan, received a special award by an international judge.
The film depicts a girl who lost her family after the Great East Japan Earthquake. The motif is based on a real telephone booth located in Otsuchi-cho, Iwate Prefecture, where she communicates her thoughts to the victims.
At the commendation ceremony, Mr. Suwa's comment, "Thanks to the judges who received the small prayers in Japan," was read out, and the applause was greatly applauded.
Judges rated the film as "a gentle, magnificent movie, with a strong ending that was both shocking and emotional and deeply moving."
Kyoko Kukai, the script writer, said, "The earthquake seems a long time ago, but it's still going on. I hope this movie will be a snag for many injured people."
The 29th Berlin International Film Festival will announce the winners of the Golden Bear Prize, the highest award, on the 29th.