The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) is pleased to announce that the internationally acclaimed Hungarian filmmaker Tarr Béla will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 37th TIFF, in recognition of his extraordinary career and long-standing contributions to the film industry.
 

 
In 1994, Tarr Béla received the Berliner Zeitung Reader’s Jury award for his 438-minute film Satantango at the Berlin International Film Festival. His Werckmeister Harmonies was screened in the Directors’ Fortnight at the Cannes International Film Festival in 2000. He also won the Silver Bear (Jury Grand Prix) and the FIPRESCI Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2011 for The Turin Horse, which would be his last feature film. Since then, he has been working to foster the next generation of filmmakers by establishing a film school in Sarajevo.
 
In February 2024, a filmmaking workshop led by Tarr Béla was held in Fukushima Prefecture in Japan, and short films were made there by the participants, as well as a behind-the-scenes documentary directed by Oda Kaori. The 37th TIFF will host screenings of the films made in the workshop, and a talk event entitled “The Fukushima Hamadori Film, Art and Culture Project × Tokyo International Film Festival 2024 — Fukushima Hamadori as Seen with Béla Tarr” will be held, welcoming Tarr in person. The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented during the event “Tarr Béla×Yamada Yoji Special Talk – Tarr Béla 37th TIFF Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony” on Friday, November 1, at LEXUS MEETS․․․ (Tokyo Midtown Hibiya 1F).
↓ “Tarr Béla×Yamada Yoji Special Talk” Registration form
 
Comment from Ichiyama Shozo, 37th TIFF Programming Director
In 1995, the Tokyo International Film Festival featured Satantango by Tarr Béla, marking a significant historical event. The seven-and-a-half-hour film drew audiences to Theatre Cocoon and captivated them with its unique style that diverged from traditional film narrative. After directing the masterpiece The Turin Horse in 2011, the director shocked the world by announcing his premature retirement. However, Tarr later founded the film school film.factory in Sarajevo and conducted a series of workshops across the world, mentoring and encouraging many young film creators. In recognition of his significant contributions to the film industry worldwide, the Tokyo International Film Festival would like to present Tarr Béla with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his work as a film director and educator.
 
Tarr Béla Profile
Tarr Béla was born in 1955 in Hungary. His feature directorial debut, Family Nest (1977) won the Grand Prix at the Mannheim Film Festival. After directing The Turin Horse (2011, Berlinale Jury Grand Prix), Tarr announced it would be his last film. In 2012, he founded the international film school film.factory in Sarajevo. It has practiced an unconventional and open study format with renowned international film artists as teachers and with students coming from many different countries. During the past years, Tarr has run workshops and masterclasses for young filmmakers all over the world. In 2023, he received the European Film Academy Honorary Award.
 
 
“Tarr Béla×Yamada Yoji Special Talk – Tarr Béla 37th TIFF Lifetime Achievement Award Ceremony”
Date:11/1 [FRI] Open at 11:15 / Starts at 11:30
Venue: Tokyo Midtown Hibiya 1F LEXUS MEETS․․․
Guests: Tarr Béla, Yamada Yoji, Takasaki Takuma, Ichiyama Shozo
Admission: Free / Open seating / Simultaneous interpretation in English provided.
Period: 10/28[MON]