Jun Ichikawa (b. 1948, Tokyo) graduated in fine art. He got his start at an ad agency and later moved on to successfully directing commercials. In 1985-87 he earned awards at the prestigious Cannes International Advertising Festival. He debuted in features in 1978 with the film Bu su. Since then he has made 16 movies, of which the most highly honoured are Tokyo Lullaby (Tokyo yakyoku, 1997, Best Director ex aequo at the 1997 Montreal IFF), The Tokyo Siblings (Tokyo kyodai, 1995, FIPRESCI Prize at the 1995 Berlinale) and Tony Takitani (2004, Special Jury Prize and the FIPRESCI Prize at the 2004 Locarno IFF). His work is clearly inspired by that of the masterful Yasujiro Ozu but differs in key ways which even allow for naturalism. Selected filmography: the drama Tugumi (1990), the meditation on death entitled Dying at a Hospital (Byoin de shinu to iu koto, 1993) and Zawa-zawa Shimokita-sawa (2000), which was awarded in his native country.
MFF Karlovy Vary
