North Macedonian filmmaker Milcho Manchevski has won the Tokyo Grand Prix for “Sister Brother Manhole Cover,” beating 14 competing films at one of Asia’s leading film festivals and marking another major international achievement more than three decades after his Venice triumph.
TOKYO, Nov. 8 (BalkanView) – North Macedonian director Milcho Manchevski has won the top prize at the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival for his film “Sister Brother Manhole Cover,” securing one of the festival’s most prestigious honours.
The Tokyo Grand Prix was awarded at the festival’s closing ceremony on November 4 at Hulic Hall in Tokyo’s Chiyoda district. The award includes a cash prize of 3 million yen, approximately $19,000.
Manchevski, whose debut feature “Before the Rain” won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1994, was unable to attend the ceremony.
In a video message, he described the award as “a modest vindication for an unconventional film.”
He said the film explored an unusual family and the divide between those who have wealth and those who struggle to survive.
A story of poverty and survival in Skopje
Set on the outskirts of Skopje, the film follows Malina, played by Sara Klimoska, and her brother Viktor, portrayed by Filip Trajkovikj, who has a developmental disability.
Struggling to survive, the siblings steal bronze busts and manhole covers.
Their precarious existence takes a dramatic turn when an accident involving a stolen bust leaves Viktor seriously injured, forcing the family into increasingly difficult circumstances.
The film explores poverty, social exclusion, family bonds and the challenges faced by people living on the margins of society.
“There were days when we weren’t sure the film would be completed”
Producer Jane Kortoshev accepted the Tokyo Grand Prix alongside lead actors Klimoska and Trajkovikj.
Reflecting on the difficulties faced during production, Kortoshev acknowledged that completing the film had at times appeared uncertain.
“There were days when we weren’t sure the film would be completed,” he said.
The award represents a significant international recognition for the production and its cast.
The festival’s Competition jury, chaired by Australian filmmaker Rolf de Heer, selected the winning film from 15 finalists.
The competition attracted 1,892 submissions from 112 countries and territories, according to festival figures.
Manchevski returns to the international spotlight
The Tokyo victory adds another major distinction to Manchevski’s career.
His internationally acclaimed debut “Before the Rain” won the Golden Lion at Venice in 1994 and subsequently received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.
More than three decades later, the Tokyo Grand Prix places the North Macedonian director back in the international festival spotlight.
It also brings renewed attention to North Macedonia’s film industry and its ability to produce internationally recognised cinema.
Other major winners in Tokyo
The festival’s Special Jury Prize went to Chinese filmmaker Sun Xun for the animated feature “Magic Atlas,” which took a decade to complete.
Argentine director Lisandro Alonso received the Best Director award for “Double Freedom,” while Hu Ling won Best Actress for “The Night That Binds Us.”
Japanese actor Ryo Narita won Best Actor for his performance in Yukiko Mishima’s “Two Cigarettes, Three Nights.”
Serbian filmmaker Jelena Maksimović received the Best Artistic Contribution award for “Until the Day Ends,” adding another Western Balkan success to the festival’s honours.
The Audience Award went to “Heysel 85,” directed by Belgian-Romanian filmmaker Teodora Ana Mihai, a drama examining the deadly 1985 football stadium disaster in Brussels.
The festival also introduced competitive awards in its Nippon Cinema Now section, with Miki Tanaka’s “silver express” receiving the inaugural Best Film prize.
The 39th edition concluded with the Japanese premiere of “Colony,” a South Korean thriller directed by Yeon Sang-ho.
As the Tokyo International Film Festival prepares for its 40th anniversary in 2027, Manchevski’s victory stands out as a major achievement for North Macedonian cinema on the international stage.