Milcho Manchevski’s ‘Sister Brother Manhole Cover’ Wins Top Prize at Tokyo Film Festival

Milcho Manchevski’s “Sister Brother Manhole Cover,” a comic allegory about two siblings who strip scrap metal from the streets of Skopje, won the Tokyo Grand Prix at the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival on Wednesday. A steady drizzle failed to dampen the spirits of a full house at Hulic Hall for closing night, a gentler […]

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  1. Main Competition Winners and Rationale: The jury, led by Rolf de Heer, awarded the Tokyo Grand Prix to Milcho Manchevski’s 'Sister Brother Manhole Cover', praising its humanity and complex, coherent narrative about siblings in North Macedonia. Other key awards included the Special Jury Prize for Sun Xun’s 'Magic Atlas' and Best Director for Lisandro Alonso’s 'Double Freedom'.
  2. Festival Structure and New Initiatives: The 39th edition of TIFF ran from October 26 to November 4, 2026, and featured a distinct focus on both established international voices and emerging talent. Notably, the festival introduced new prize categories within the 'Nippon Cinema Now' section to specifically showcase and honor contemporary Japanese cinema.

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