And the award goes to...

Each year, Nippon Connection gives out one award in each of three competition categories, and my documentary, 'A2' (WEBSITE), was nominated for the Nippon Visions Award (DETAILS).

NIPPON VISIONS AWARD
The NIPPON VISIONS AWARD will be handed out for the fourth time by an international expert jury. 12 feature films by new-coming Japan-based directors from the NIPPON VISIONS and the NIPPON ANIMATION sections will participate in the competition.

JuryKeiko ARAKI – director of PIA Film Festival, Tokio / Tokyo
Tetsuaki MATSUE - director, winner of NIPPON VISIONS AWARD 2010
Ken OKUBO – film critic, curator and professor at Tama Art University, Tokio / Tokyo

ニッポン・ビジョン賞
今年第4回目を迎える「ニッポン・ビジョン賞」は、国際的審査員により決定されます。「ニッポン・ビジョン」部門および「ニッポン・アニメーショ ン」部門の若手監督による12本の長編作品がノミネートされています。

審査員
荒木啓子　-　ぴあフィルムフェスティバル　ディレクター、東京
松江哲明　-　ニッポン・ビジョン賞2010年の受賞者
大久保賢一　-　映画評論家、キュレータ、多摩美術大学教授、東京

私のドキュメンタリー映画「A2」がニッポン・ビジョン・アワードに選ばれました。非常に光栄です！

I am so honoured (and shocked!) to be the recipient of the 2013 Nippon Vision Award for 'A2' (official notice HERE)!

When the jury read out their statement and said, "The award goes to 'A2' by director Ian Thomas Ash", I just couldn't believe it and kept shaking my head in disbelief.  I guess I was just so surprised (in a good way!) since this honour is usually given to a Japanese filmmaker.

I am so thankful for this recognition and know that this award will be instrumental in helping to get 'A2' out to a larger audience, both domestically within Japan and abroad.

Unfortunately, the recent news of more children in Fukushima being found to have thyroid cancer makes this topic ever more relevant (news story HERE).

Thank you all so much for your support, kind words, advice and encouragement.

With humble gratitude and peace,

Ian Thomas Ash
Frankfurt, Germany

PHOTO: Nippon Connection Film Festival © 2013