Japanese Literary Awards

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Naomi Sentou

せんとう なおみ

Naomi Sentou

Aliases: 河瀨直美 / 河瀬直美 / Naomi Kawase
Pen Names: Naomi Kawase（Name widely used professionally as a film director; used in public and professional contexts.）

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1969-05-30 （Nara City, Nara Prefecture, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
Film director, Screenwriter, Producer
Active Years
1992-
Affiliations
Kumie Co., Ltd. (personal office / production company)

Education

Osaka Visual Arts (formerly Osaka School of Photography)
Film Department
Country: Japan
After graduation she worked as an instructor at the same school and gained practical teaching experience.

Awards

Camera d'Or
1997
Work: Moe no Suzaku
Organization: Cannes Film Festival
Result: 受賞
FIPRESCI Prize
1997
Work: Moe no Suzaku
Organization: International Film Festival Rotterdam
Result: 受賞
Grand Prix (Jury Prize / Special Grand Prix)
2007
Work: The Mourning Forest
Organization: Cannes Film Festival
Result: 受賞
Ecumenical Jury Award
2017
Work: Hikari (Radiance / Light)
Organization: Cannes Film Festival
Result: 受賞
Carrosse d'Or (Golden Coach)
2009
Organization: Cannes Film Festival
Result: 受賞（女性・アジア人として初受賞）
Art Encouragement Prize (New Artists) / Minister of Education Award
1997
Work: Moe no Suzaku
Organization: Japan (Agency for Cultural Affairs)
Result: 受賞
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Chevalier
2015
Organization: Government of France
Result: 叙勲（受章）
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Officier
2022
Organization: Government of France
Result: 叙勲（受章）
Hochi Film Award — Best Director
2020
Work: Asa ga Kuru (True Mothers / Morning Comes)
Organization: Hochi Shimbun
Result: 受賞
Mainichi Film Awards — Best Director
2021
Work: Asa ga Kuru (True Mothers / Morning Comes)
Organization: Mainichi Shimbun
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Moe no Suzaku

1997 Drama with documentary elements

A feature exploring the fragments of a family and regeneration around two young sisters. Kawase's first 35mm commercial feature that gained international recognition.

familyloss and rebirthmemory

The Mourning Forest

2007 Drama

A quiet film portraying life, death and healing through the interactions between an elderly woman with dementia and a man. Won the Grand Prix at Cannes.

life and deathhealingnature

An

2015 Drama

Set around a wagashi (Japanese sweets) shop, the film explores dignity and compassion through the relationship with an elderly woman; it attracted attention at Cannes.

dignityempathyintergenerational relationships

Hikari (Radiance / Light)

2017 Drama

Through the story of a visually impaired film director, the film questions the meaning of cinematic art and expression. Won the Ecumenical Jury Award at Cannes.

expression and disabilityessence of filmcoexistence

Asa ga Kuru (True Mothers / Morning Comes)

2020 Drama

A layered story about family and motherhood. Received acclaim domestically and internationally and won several directing awards.

motherhoodfamilysocial issues

Bibliography

  • Moe no Suzaku
  • The Mourning Forest
  • An
  • Hikari (Radiance)
  • Asa ga Kuru (True Mothers)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Quiet, poetic visual styleRealism blended with documentary perspective
Recurring Motifs
relationship between nature and humansfamily and kinshiplife and death

Legacy

As a female director from a regional background, she achieved numerous international festival honors and raised the international profile of Japanese cinema. She is praised for her empathetic gaze and poetic visuals, and remains active in cultural exchange and film education.

Museums

  • Naomi Kawase Signature Pavilion "Dialogue Theater - Inochi no Akashi -" Osaka-Kansai Expo site (Pavilion) Opened in 2025

Archives

  • National Diet Library / archived identifier records
  • Bibliothèque nationale de France holdings

In Popular Culture

  • Frequent coverage on television programs and documentaries

Trivia

  • Won the Camera d'Or at the 50th Cannes Film Festival for "Moe no Suzaku" and was at the time the youngest-ever recipient (27).
  • In 2009 she became the first woman and first Asian to receive the Carrosse d'Or at Cannes.
  • Awarded the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Chevalier) in 2015 and promoted to Officier in 2022.
  • Born in Nara Prefecture and closely involved with the local Nara International Film Festival.