'Okuribito' (Departures) Japan
Actor: Masahiro Motoki
Born in 1965, Masahiro Motoki’s acting debut was in the 1981 television drama series, Ninen B Gumi Senpachi Sensei and his feature film debut came in 1989 with Hideo Gosha’s 226, for which he received Japanese Academy Prize for Newcomer of the Year. He starred in Masayuki Suo's Sumo Do, Sumo Don't for which he received the 1993 Japanese Academy Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. Considered one of the leading actors in Japan, Motoki has worked alongside notable directors including Takashi Ishii in Gonin (1995), Takashi Miike in The Bird People of China (1998), Shinya Tsukamoto in Gemini (1999), and Masahiro Shinoda in Spy Sorge (2003). The original concept for Departures was developed by Motoki after he read a book based on the diaries of a man specialising in the ritual of encoffinment.
'Ddongpari' (Breathless) Republic of Korea
Actor: Yang Ik-june
After discharge from his military service, Yang Ik-june studied theatre and trained at the ‘Actor’s 21 Academy’ before delving into film production. In six short years he has starred in 30 short films and more than ten feature films. He won the Best Actor Award at the Mise-en-Scene Short Film Festival for 2005 short film Ooh, You Make Me Sick. In 2005 he directed his first short film, Always Behind You, which earned him the audience award at the Seoul Independent Short Film Festival. Breathless marks Yang Ik-june’s directorial feature debut, in which he also stars. Breathless was selected for the Pusan International Film Festival's Asian Cinema Fund which provided valuable post-production support. The film had its world premiere at the 2008 Pusan International Film Festival.
'Eid milad Laila' (Laila's Birthday) Palestinian Territories / Tunisia / The Netherlands
Actor: Mohamed Bakri
Mohamed Bakri is an actor and filmmaker born in 1953 in Bina Village of Galilee, Israel. He was educated at the Tel Aviv University where he studied both acting and Arabic literature. He went on to become a cinema and theatre actor as well as a director. He won the Golden Leopard award for Best Actor at the 2004 Locarno International Film Festival for his performance in Saverio Costanza’s Private. His notable acting credits in international cinema include The Olive Harvest by Hannah Elias, Beyond the Walls and Beyond the Walls II by Iri Barabash, Haifa by Rashid Masaharawi, and Hanna.K by Constantin Costa-Gavras. He has directed two documentaries, 1948 (1998) and Jenin, Jenin (2002).
A Wednesday, India
Actor: Naseeruddin Shah
Born in 1950 in India, Naseeruddin Shah is an award-winning actor and an iconic figure of Indian cinema whose career spans more than three decades. He studied at the National School of Drama in Delhi before his debut role in Nishant (1975) opposite legendary Indian actresses Smita Patil and Shabana Azmi. Shah’s early roles defined him as one of the most important actors of Indian Parallel (or arthouse) Cinema. In the 1980s, he began to work on more mainstream projects such as Hum Paanch (1980) and Karma (1986). In 1983 he starred in Shekar Kapur’s directorial debut, Masoom, again with Shabana Azmi. He went on to make Mirch Masala (1985) and The Perfect Murder (1988) and played one of the three heroes in Rajiv Rai’s, Tridev (1989), which was a huge commercial success. He played Mahatma Gandhi in Hey Ram (2000) and is widely known for his performance as a hapless father arranging his daughter’s wedding in Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding (2001). In 2003, he played Captain Nemo in Stephen Norrington’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (co-starring Sean Connery) and his recent roles include the Pakistani film, Khuda Ke Liye (2007), and Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (2008). Shah was honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2009 by the Government of India, a civilian decoration to recognise distinguished service of a high order to the nation, in any field.
'Fei Cheng Wu Rao' (If You Are The One) People's Republic of China (Mainland China / Hong Kong)
Actor: Ge You
With more than thirty feature films to his credit, Ge You’s breakthrough role as a lovelorn villain in Chen Kaige’s Farewell My Concubine (1993) confirmed his status as one of China’s most significant actors. This was followed by a leading role in Zhang Yimou’s To Live which earned him the prestigious Best Actor accolade at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival, the first Chinese actor to receive an award at Cannes. He has worked extensively with director, Feng Xiaogang, on films including Sorry Baby (1999), The Banquet (2006), A World Without Thieves (2004) and If You Are the One (2008).