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Kitano wins film festival award
Takeshi Kitano has won the Open 2003 special award at the Venice Film Festival
with his first samurai movie, “Zatoichi”.
“Zatoichi”, the tale of a blind Japanese sword master, became widely
known in Japan after the late actor Shintaro Katsu portrayed the character
in film. In Kitano’s remake, the director ? with hair dyed blond ? plays
the main character.
Kitano, who became famous as a comedian, said the honor took him by surprise.
“I’m very happy to be honored in the field of art,” he said. Wednesday,
holding his silver trophy modeled after a movie camera. The special honor,
this year names the Open 2003 Mimmo Rotella Foundation Award, is in recognition
of overall contributions to the arts and culture.
So far, only three such awards have been given in Venice Film Festival
history. In 2002, the award went to Julie Taymor, director of “Frida”,
which depicts the turbulent life of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.
Kitano, who won the festival’s Golden Lion award in 1997 for “Hanabi”,
is the first Japanese to win an award at the 60th Venice Film Festival, which opened Aug.27 and runs through Saturday.
The Japan Times
Friday, September 5, 2003 |
