+ List of awards won by Departures Awards & nominations Award Won NominatedAcademy AwardsAsia Pacific Screen AwardsAsian Film AwardsBlue Ribbon AwardsCamerimageÉlan d'Or AwardGolden Rooster AwardsHawaii International Film FestivalHochi Film AwardHong Kong Film AwardJapan Academy PrizeKinema Junpo AwardMainichi Film AwardMontreal World Film FestivalNikkan Sports Film AwardsPalm Springs International Film FestivalTokyo Sports Film AwardTrailer ZEN Film FestivalUdine Far-East Film FestivalWisconsin Film FestivalYokohama Film FestivalYomiuri PrizeTotal number of wins and nominations Footnotes is a Japanese drama film written by Kundō Koyama and directed by Yōjirō Takita that was released in 2008. Based on the book Coffinman by Aoki Shinmon, it follows a young man, Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki), who loses his job as a cellist and moves back to his hometown. Despite objections from his wife Mika (Ryōko Hirosue), he finds fulfilment in performing traditional encoffinment ceremonies with his boss, Sasaki (Tsutomu Yamazaki), and his coworker, Kamimura (Kimiko Yo).
The film was premiered by Shochiku in Japan on 13 September, with a North American release on 29 May 2009 and a British one on 4 December. Owing to traditional Japanese taboos about death, Takita did not expect the film to be a success. However, Departures was the highest-grossing domestic film of 2008 in Japan, earning ¥3.05 billion in box office revenue, and a total of $69,932,387 worldwide. The film was also well received by critics, with an approval rating of 81% on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes; reviewer Roger Ebert described it as "excellent at achieving the universal ends of narrative".
International awards for Departures began to accrue before its domestic release, when the film was granted the Grand Prix des Ameriques at the Montreal World Film Festival. Over the next several months it received multiple awards, including four from Kinema Junpo, and in September 2008 it was selected as Japan's submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. In February 2009, Departures dominated the Japan Academy Prizes, receiving thirteen nominations and winning ten. During the 81st Academy Awards held later that week, Departures became the first Japanese submission to win the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, over the critical favourite Waltz with Bashir (Ari Folman). Into 2010 Departures picked up several further awards, including Best Asian Film at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
This international success led to the development of a tourism industry based around the film, with some sites receiving thousands of visitors, and stimulated both a theatrical re-release and a reprint of Coffinman. A hearse based on Kobayashi and Sasaki's vehicle in the film was likewise put into production.
Accolades + List of accolades received by Departures Date of ceremony Award Category Recipients and nominees Result August 2008 Montreal World Film Festival Grand Prix des Ameriques 12 September 2008 Rooster International Film Festival Audience Award for Best Foreign Film Audience Award for Best Foreign Director Yōjirō Takita Audience Award for Best Foreign Actor Masahiro Motoki 21 October 2008 Hawaii International Film Festival Audience Choice Award 27 November 2008 Hochi Film Award Best Film 29 November 2008 Trailer ZEN Film Festival Grand Prix 3 December 2008 Nikkan Sports Film Awards Best Film Best Director Yōjirō Takita 11 January 2009 Kinema Junpo Awards Best Film Best Director Yōjirō Takita Best Screenplay Kundō Koyama Best Actor Masahiro Motoki 14 January 2009 Blue Ribbon Awards Best Actor Masahiro Motoki 19 January 2009 Palm Springs International Film Festival Mercedes-Benz Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature 21 January 2009 Mainichi Film Awards Best Film Best Sound Satoshi Ozaki 31 January 2009 Tokyo Sports Film Award Best Leading Actor Masahiro Motoki Best Supporting Actor Tsutomu Yamazaki 1 February 2009 Yomiuri Prize Best Drama/Screenplay Kundō Koyama 1 February 2009Yokohama Film Festival Best Film Best Director Yōjirō Takita Best Supporting Actress Kimiko Yo Best Supporting Actress Ryōko Hirosue 5 February 2009Élan d'Or Award TV Taro Award for Best Film Best ProducerToshiaki Nakazawa 20 February 2009 Japan Academy Prizes Picture of the Year Director of the Year Yōjirō Takita Screenplay of the Year Kundō Koyama Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Masahiro Motoki Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Ryōko Hirosue Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Tsutomu Yamazaki Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role Kimiko Yo Outstanding Achievement in Music Joe Hisaishi Outstanding Achievement in CinematographyTakeshi Hamada Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Direction Hitoshi Takaya Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction Fumio Ogawa Outstanding Achievement in Sound Recording Satoshi Ozaki and Osamu Onodera Outstanding Achievement in Film Editing Akimasa Kawashima 22 February 2009 Academy Awards Best Foreign Language Film 23 March 2009 Asian Film Awards Best Actor Masahiro Motoki 5 April 2009 Wisconsin Film Festival Best Feature Film 22 April 2009 Film of the Year 2 May 2009 Udine Far-East Film Festival Audience Award Black Dragon Audience Award 26 November 2009 Asia Pacific Screen Awards Best ScreenplayKundō Koyama Best Performance by an Actor Masahiro Motoki 5 December 2009 Camerimage Golden Frog Takeshi Hamada 18 April 2010 Hong Kong Film Awards Best Asian Film
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