TIFF will host the Amazon Prime Video Take One Awards, an award program for new filmmakers, for the second consecutive year. “We want Amazon to be a home for talent — when directors come up with great new ideas, we want them to think Amazon is the place to go,”Kodama Takashi, the country director of Prime Video Japan at a TIFF Press Event on Monday, said these words. “That’s why we are sponsoring the awards.”
The Take One Awards are open for Japanese filmmakers. Yukisada Isao was the judge for this year’s jury. They reviewed 83 entries and selected seven finalists. Five of these finalists are females, including Asumi Momoha (14 years old).
While saying that, in judging the entries, he didn’t make distinctions between sex or age, Yukisada told the press that “Women seem to have more momentum and power these days, as well as more resilience — they will never give up completing their films.”Additionally, he discovered that more entries were made by women filmmakers. “surprising.” “They’re tackling their themes in a fresh way,”He explained.
Recognize the importance of working with actors, scriptwriters, directors and other creative people. “important,”Kodama stated that it “also carries risk.”He explained that Amazon can evaluate many new talents by sponsoring the Take One Awards with the help of Yukisada, a veteran filmmaker. “So, we’re more likely to have a success than by randomly working with new directors,”He stated.
Last year’s winner, Kim Yunsoo, said that he is working on a screenplay in cooperation with Amazon, but modestly added he feels he is still “at the starting line – not a lot has changed.” “But I’m very grateful I was selected as a finalist,”He went on. “It’s really been a big motivation for me.” His advice for this year’s finalists, six of whom who were present in the audience: “I’d like you to wait for the results with a calm mind. And even if you don’t win the award this year, there’s always next year. So, whatever happens, it’s all right.”