The award ceremony for the 80th Mainichi Film Awards (sponsored by the Mainichi Shimbun and the Sports Nippon newspaper) was held on February 10th at Meguro Persimmon Hall (Meguro-ku, Tokyo), and Hayashi Yuta, who won the Sponichi Grand Prix Newcomer Award for "The Fool's Status" (directed by Nagata Koto), took the stage.
The film is based on the novel of the same name (Tokuma Bunko) by Jun Nishio, which won the 2nd Yabu Haruhiko Newcomer Award. It is a fugitive suspense story that depicts the "darkness" that exists alongside young people living in modern Japan.
Hayashi played the role of Kakizaki Mamoru, who grew up in a complicated family environment without knowing the love of family. He expressed his joy at receiving the award, saying, "I want to go to sleep today hugging this cool trophy." He continued, "Right now, I'm having so much fun in this job. I think that's because the people around me who support me treat me with love. In the film 'The Fool's Status,' director Nagata, the staff, Kitamura Takumi, and Ayano Go all supported me. I hope to become that kind of actor who can support others with love."
The Mainichi Film Awards are a prestigious film awards program established in Japan in 1946. Each award is selected by approximately 70 leading film critics, journalists, and experts. This year's winners were selected from films released in Japan for a fee in theaters for 14 days or more between January 1 and December 31, 2025 (for animation and documentary categories, films completed or screened during the same period).
◇ Winners of the 80th Mainichi Film Awards (titles omitted)
Japanese Film Award: "Enemy" (directed by Daihachi Yoshida) Best Foreign Film Award: "One Battle After Another" (directed by Paul Thomas Anderson)
Best Actor: Ryo Yoshizawa ("National Treasure") Best Supporting Actor: Jiro Sato ("Bomb") Best Supporting Actor: Masataka Kubota ("Treasure Island") Sponichi Grand Prix Newcomer Award: Yuta Hayashi ("The Fool's Status")
Best Director: Lee Sang-il "National Treasure" ▽ Best Screenplay: Okudera Satoko "National Treasure" ▽ Best Cinematography: Sofiane El Fani "National Treasure" ▽ Best Art Direction: Taneda Yohei, Shimoyama Nao "National Treasure" ▽ Best Music: Hara Marihiko "National Treasure" ▽ Best Sound: Shiratori Mitsugu "National Treasure"
Ofuji Noburo Award: "Ordinary Life" (directed by Mizushiri Yoshiko) ▽ Documentary Film Award: "Resurrected Voice" (directed by Park Soo Nam and Park Mai) ▽ TSUTAYA DISCAS Movie Fan Award - Japanese Film Category: "When It Tastes So Good It Makes You Cry" (directed by Yokoo Hatsuki) ▽ Foreign Film Category: "F1" (directed by Joseph Kosinski)
