Directors O Mipo and Mohammad Rasoulof have received the Kurosawa Akira Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival. At a November 3 press conference, both discussed the difficulties of continuing to make films. O described returning after raising children, while Rasoulof spoke about cinema as a refuge after censorship, imprisonment and political repression.
Directors O Mipo and Mohammad Rasoulof have received the Kurosawa Akira Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival. The award recognises filmmakers with substantial achievements who also represent cinema’s future. The two directors discussed the challenges of sustaining their work at a November 3 press conference. The ceremony took place at Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel under the festival’s auspices.[1], [2]
Korean-Japanese director O began her career as a script supervisor for Obayashi Nobuhiko. Her first feature screenplay, The Sakai’s Happiness, won a Sundance/NHK award in 2005 before becoming her directorial debut. The Light Shines Only There later became Japan’s Oscar submission. After Being Good in 2015, she stepped back from features to raise her two sons.[1]
O returned to feature filmmaking with Living in Two Worlds in 2024, followed by the environmentally themed children’s drama How Dare You? in 2025. She says she wants more Japanese films to have opportunities abroad and has an interest in working overseas herself. Reflecting on the award, she described herself as making up for time away from filmmaking while raising her children.[1]
