‘Four Seasons In Java’ Wins Two Prizes At Inaugural TGFM Awards
The Asian Gen-Z Award, selected by five film students, went to 'Hum' from the Philippines’ Don Joseph Raphael Eblahan.
Kamila Andini’s Four Seasons In Java scooped two prizes at the first edition of the Tokyo Gap Financing (TGFM) Awards during TIFFCOM, including the top prize, Tokyo Project Award, worth $13,000 (JPY2m).
The project, produced by Indonesia’s Forka Films and co-producers from Asia and Europe, tells the story of a sexual assault survivor who returns to her village after spending time in prison in an attempt to find peace and healing. It also won the Kongchak Award, an in-kind award of sound post-production services valued at $25,000, from Cambodia-based Kongchak Studio.
The jury for the Tokyo Project Award included Paolo Bertolin, a member of the Venice film festival selection committee, Bangkok International Film Festival director Donsaron Kovitvanitcha and Aleksandra Zakharchenko, Head of Industry Programmes at Cannes film festival’s Marché du Film.
Bertolin commented on the selection: “We, the jury of TGFM 2025, would like to acknowledge the striking overall quality and diversity of the lineup. The project we selected for the Tokyo Project Award 2025 hails from Southeast Asia and offers a powerful statement of maturity from a filmmaker tackling sensitive and relevant topics with dedication, sincerity, and vigorous cinematic storytelling.”
The Asian Gen-Z Award, selected by five film students, went to Hum from the Philippines’ Don Joseph Raphael Eblahan, produced by Daluyong Studios and Prima Materia Pictures. The award came with a cash prize of $3,300 (JPY500,000). The student jury also gave a special mention to I Have To Fuck Before The World Ends, directed by Andrea Benjamin Manenti and produced by Volos Films Italia.
The White Light Award went to Polaris, a Japan-Taiwan collaboration directed by Natsuki Seta and produced by Japan’s Twenty First City. The award, selected by Chartchai Ketnus, CEO of Bangkok-based White Light Post, is an in-kind award worth $25,000 of post-production services.
Tokyo Gap Financing Market selected 23 projects for its sixth edition, which took place during TIFFCOM (October 29-31). The awards were launched for the first time this year following strong requests from participants at the previous five editions.
