Japanese Literary Awards

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Tomoyuki Furumaya

ふるまや ともゆき

Furumaya Tomoyuki

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1968-11-14 （Shiojiri, Nagano, Japan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese

Career

Occupations
film director, television director
Active Years
1992-
Affiliations
C&I Entertainment

Education

Nagano Prefectural Tagawa High School
Country: Japan
Nihon University, College of Art / Graduate School of Art
College of Art / Graduate School of Art
Country: Japan

Awards

Pia Film Festival Grand Prix
1992
Work: Shakunetsu no Dodgeball
Organization: Pia Film Festival (PFF)
Result: 受賞（グランプリ）
Directors Guild of Japan Newcomer Award
1994
Work: This Window Is Yours
Organization: Directors Guild of Japan
Result: 受賞
International Film Festival Rotterdam — Tiger Award (Grand Prize)
2001
Work: Mabudachi
Organization: International Film Festival Rotterdam
Result: 受賞（タイガーアワード グランプリ）
FIPRESCI Prize (International Federation of Film Critics)
2001
Work: Mabudachi
Organization: FIPRESCI
Result: 受賞
Arts Encouragement Prize (Newcomer Award by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology)
2001
Work: Mabudachi
Organization: Agency for Cultural Affairs / MEXT-related
Result: 受賞（新人賞）
Takasaki Film Festival — Young Director Grand Prix
2001
Work: Mabudachi
Organization: Takasaki Film Festival
Result: 受賞（若手監督グランプリ）
Nantes Three Continents Festival — Silver Balloon (Runner-up Grand Prize)
2005
Work: Sayonara Midori-chan
Organization: Nantes Three Continents Festival
Result: 受賞（銀の気球賞）

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Shakunetsu no Dodgeball

1992 short film

A short film made while at university that won the Grand Prix at the Pia Film Festival.

youthfriendship

This Window Is Yours

1995 feature film

Feature debut, produced under difficult conditions of commuting between his hometown and Yamanashi; it earned the Directors Guild of Japan Newcomer Award.

coming-of-agehuman relationships

Mabudachi

2001 feature film

A 2001 feature that won the Tiger Award (Grand Prize) and the FIPRESCI Prize at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, gaining international recognition.

friendshipconflict

Sayonara Midori-chan

2005 feature film

A 2005 film that won the Silver Balloon (runner-up grand prize) at the Nantes Three Continents Festival.

youth conflictloss and recovery

Naoko

2008 feature film

A 2008 release — a youth-centered drama with commercial elements.

youthromance

Bushido Sixteen

2010 feature film

Released in 2010; a coming-of-age sports-drama focusing on high school girls.

growtheffort

Noboru Kotera-san

2020 feature film

A 2020 film adaptation that brings the gentle character portrayals of the source material to screen.

relationshipseveryday life

PLAY! ~Whether you win or lose doesn't really matter~

2024 feature film

A 2024 release that uses sports/competition as a motif to explore human relationships.

teamworkself-discovery

Bibliography

  • Youth Robocon — Making a Math/Science 'Koshien' into Film

Style & Themes

Literary Style
realism-oriented visual styledirection sympathetic to youth psychology
Recurring Motifs
friendshipcoming-of-ageeveryday details

Legacy

From winning the PFF Grand Prix to receiving awards at international festivals, he established recognition early as a young filmmaker. His portrayals of youth and everyday life have earned support at domestic and international festivals.

Quotes

  • I used to get stomachaches as the production approached.
    Source: PFF-related talk event (Hiroshima, 2005) (2005)

Trivia

  • His university short film 'Shakunetsu no Dodgeball' won the PFF Grand Prix in 1992 and the scholarship from that win led to his feature debut.
  • When he received the Directors Guild of Japan Newcomer Award for 'This Window Is Yours' he was reportedly 26, noted as one of the youngest recipients (year references may vary in sources).
  • His wife is actress/author/director Mihoko Tadano (Yuitono Mihoko).