At the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival (June 14-23), the red carpet event and award announcements were held on the evening of June 22 local time. Director Naoko Yamada's "Your Colors (Janpanese: Kimi no Iro)," which was entered in the Animation category, won the Best Animation Award, known as the "Golden Goblet Award for Best Animation." This is the first time in five years that a Japanese film has received this award, the last being Masaaki Yuasa's "Ride Your Wave" in 2019.

Appearing on the red carpet on the evening of the 22nd, Director Yamada, though visibly nervous, smiled amidst the excitement unique to an international film festival. She commented, "It felt like something I usually see on TV. My mind went blank, and it felt surreal."

Later, at the awards ceremony, "Kimi no Iro" was called as the winner of the Best Animation Award. Director Yamada, seated in the audience, seemed initially unaware of the win and only realized it after being informed by the staff, showing expressions of surprise and joy. Encouraged by the host, she made her way to the stage amid loud applause from the audience.

On stage, as she received the trophy, Director Yamada expressed her delight, saying, "I didn't expect to win this award, so I hadn't prepared anything to say. I believe animation has a wonderful power. I hope to continue creating many more animations for the world to enjoy."

The Shanghai International Film Festival, which began in 1993, celebrated its 26th edition this year. It is the only film festival in China recognized by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations. The festival aims to promote film culture and the development of the film industry, screening approximately 500 films from around the world during its ten-day run each year. The festival is also known for selecting many Japanese films, with Japanese showcases and special screenings being particularly popular.

This film, Director Yamada's first entry at the Shanghai International Film Festival, had its premiere on June 19 local time and was so popular that tickets sold out immediately. During the screening, the audience laughed at the characters' interactions and swayed to the music, creating an unusually lively atmosphere.

At the post-screening stage greeting, Director Naoko Yamada and Producer Genki Kawamura appeared on stage to enthusiastic applause from the full house. When Director Yamada greeted the audience in Mandarin, "Hello, I'm Naoko Yamada," there was a huge cheer. When asked by the host about the challenges of this film, Producer Kawamura responded, "We worked together to express delicate sounds in the movie and create a film that people would want to see in theaters." He added, "By the way, can everyone say 'Sui-Kin-Chi-Ka-Moku-Dotten-Aramen'?"(※) referring to a part of the song lyrics from the film, which elicited a call-and-response from the audience in Japanese.

※Some of the lyrics of the song

When asked about the significance of music in the film, Director Yamada thoughtfully replied, "To say something cool, I think music is the heartbeat. I want to express that heartbeat through my work," sincerely commenting on the role of music in the film. The stage greeting was filled with an atmosphere reminiscent of a live concert.

Source : ORICON NEWS