32nd Hochi Film Awards: Takita, Tsutsumi, Koizumi

[Tokyograph News]

On Thursday, the winners of the 33rd Hochi Film Awards were announced. This year, director Yojiro Takita's acclaimed film "Okuribito" (also known as "Departures") took the prize for Best Picture. The movie, which earned the top prize at the Montreal World Film Festival in September, stars Masahiro Motoki and Ryoko Hirosue in a story about a man adjusting to his new job of preparing bodies for coffins.

Shinichi Tsutsumi was named Best Actor for starring in Masato Harada's "Climber's High" and playing the antagonist in "Yougisha x no Kenshin." Kyoko Koizumi earned the nod for Best Actress with lead roles in Isshin Inudo's "Gou-Gou Datte Neko Dearu" and Kiyoshi Kurosawa's "Tokyo Sonata."

Best Supporting Actor went to Masato Sakai, who appeared in "Climber's High," "After School," and "Jersey no Futari." Kirin Kiki received Best Supporting Actress for her role in Hirokazu Koreeda's "Aruitemo Aruitemo."

The title of Best Newcomer was given to Ayane Nagabuchi, the daughter of singer Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi. She made her film debut in Kiyoshi Sasabe's "Sanbongi Nougyou Koukou, Bajutsubu," which opened in October.

Ryosuke Hashiguchi ("Gururi no Koto") won Best Director. Best Foreign Film was awarded to "The Dark Knight."

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