Takeshi Kitano Awarded with Honorary Golden Alexander in Thessaloniki

by Chris MaGee

Well, here's something to put on the mantle beside that Golden Lion... Takeshi Kitano was awarded an honourary Golden Alexander at the 49th Annual International Thessaloniki Film Festival. The director, actor, comedian and media Renaissance man was presented with the top award in the international competition section by Festival Director Despina Mouzaki in a ceremony on Tuesday. Kitano was in Thessaloniki for a screening of his latest film "Achilles and the Tortoise" (a film I hated, but Pow-Wow contributing writer Bob Turnbull quite liked) as well as to conduct a master class in cinema.

According to Tokyograph Kitano is the first Japanese filmmaker to be awarded an honourary Golden Alexander. Golden Alexanders were presented to two Japanese directors previously for films that screened in competition: in 1998 Yoichiro Takahashi won for "Mizu no naka no hachigatsu" and in 2002 Hidenori Sugimori won for "Mizu no onna".