Director O Mipo Wins Kurosawa Award and Targets Future Global Projects

Korean-Japanese director O Mipo received the 2026 Kurosawa Akira Award at the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival, sharing the honor with Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof. The award recognizes filmmakers of substantial achievement who represent the future of cinema. O started her career as a script supervisor for director Obayashi Nobuhiko before winning an award for her short film "Eye" at the 2002 Short Shorts Film Festival in Tokyo. Her first feature screenplay, "The Sakai's Happiness," won the Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Award in 2005. Her 2014 drama "The Light Shines Only There" served as Japan's submission for the Academy Award for best foreign language film. After releasing the 2015 drama "Being Good," she stepped back from features to raise her two sons, returning in 2024 with "Living in Two Worlds" and following up with the 2025 children's drama "How Dare You?"

Industry Changes

Reflecting on the Japanese film industry, O noted that it is overwhelmingly different compared to when she started as a crew member in 1999, pointing to a much higher number of female staff members and directors. She also observed a shift in the movie-making system away from a pyramid structure toward respect training and equal footing regarding rights. Despite nearly 700 Japanese films being released annually, she feels the overseas market has not taken off yet and expressed a desire to make films abroad, stating an ambition to go to Hollywood someday. She also discussed financial realities in Japan, noting that directors do not get paid at the planning stage, unlike in Hollywood, and often rely on work like TV commercials to make a living.

Context

The Tokyo International Film Festival is one of Asia's largest competitive film events, providing a major global platform for Japanese and international cinema talent. The Kurosawa Akira Award is named after the legendary Japanese director and honors cinematic contributions that look toward the future of the art form. Major international film festivals often serve as key venues for directors seeking to expand their reach beyond domestic markets.