The award ceremony for the 80th Mainichi Film Awards (sponsored by the Mainichi Shimbun and Sports Nippon Shimbun) was held on February 10th at Meguro Persimmon Hall (Meguro-ku, Tokyo), where director Mizushiri Yoshiko, who won the Ofuji Shinro Award for her short animated film "Ordinary Life," took the stage. The film has also been making waves after winning the Silver Bear in the short film competition category at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival.
"Ordinary Life" expresses how, in the midst of our everyday, ordinary lives, the succession of overlapping moments is never the same, and everything changes and fluctuates. Director Mizushiri expressed his joy, saying, "I'm happy that my tactile, sensory story, which doesn't have a clear storyline, has been highly praised," and expressed his enthusiasm, saying, "I would like to continue creating works while exploring ways to express the senses."
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)
