Fridae

Isabelle Stever’s I Rarely Wake Up Dreaming has won the Tokyo International Film Festival’s Ethical Film Award. The prize was presented on 2 November, according to the festival’s report published the following day.

The German-Ukrainian drama follows Olya and Oleh, a young queer couple trying to leave Kyiv as war overtakes their lives. Film at Lincoln Center’s programme describes how Oleh’s transition changes their relationship, while passport rules complicate their attempt to evacuate.

Actor Hayato Isomura chaired the jury alongside three university students from the festival’s student publicity team. In the festival’s account, he praised the way the film conveys the couple’s lives under wartime pressure and asks whether people can hold on to their sense of self.

One student juror said the film’s portrayal of a person finding their place in society brought friends and family to mind. Stever accepted by video message from a classroom at the film school where she teaches.

The award was established in 2023 with support from Sumitomo Corporation to encourage awareness of social issues and understanding of diversity through film. This year’s other nominees were Amadeo and the Hypothetical New World and Time and Tide.

The festival also lists a screening at Cine Switch Ginza on 4 November at 4.05pm local time.