The 28th Far East Film Festival celebrated cinematic achievements with Japanese director Kimura Taichi's film, “Fujiko,” taking home the coveted Mulberry Audience Award. Produced by Megumi, the feature film captivated audiences with its poignant narrative. Following closely, the Korean documentary “The Seoul Guardians,” a live chronicle of a coup d’état directed by Kim Jong-woo, Kim Shin-wan, and Cho Chul-young, secured second place. A total of four films tied for third place, showcasing a diverse range of talent: Yuen Woo-ping’s “Blades of the Guardians: Wind Rises in the Desert,” Chung Ji-young’s “My Name,” Bui Thac Chuyen’s “Tunnels: Sun in the Dark,” and Chang Hang-jun’s “The King’s Warden.”

“Fujiko,” set in Shizuoka during the 1970s and ’80s, draws inspiration from Kimura’s personal family history. The film explores the journey of a single mother navigating personal freedom amidst the era's social upheaval. Its esteemed cast includes Yuki Katayama alongside veteran performers Lily Franky, You, Issey Ogata, Kayoko Kishimoto, and Tsuyoshi Ujiki, with SC Films International handling its worldwide sales.

Beyond the audience award, “The Seoul Guardians” and “Fujiko” shared the Black Dragon prize, an honor bestowed by the festival’s accredited press members. The White Mulberry Award for best first feature was presented to “Unidentified Murder,” directed by Kwok Ka-hei and Jack Lee, with “The Seoul Guardians” receiving a special mention in this category. For outstanding writing, the Mulberry Award for best screenplay was claimed by Bui Thac Chuyen for “Tunnels: Sun in the Dark,” and Anthony Chen’s “We Are All Strangers” earned a special mention.

The 28th edition also paid tribute to distinguished figures in cinema. Yakusho Koji and Yuen Woo-ping were honored with the Golden Mulberry Award for lifetime achievement. Accepting his award, Yakusho Koji delivered a statement on April 25 that resonated deeply with the organizers, saying, “I believe in cinema as an element of hope.” Fan Bingbing received the Golden Mulberry Award for outstanding achievement, recognizing her significant contributions to the film industry.

The festival brought a vibrant selection of 75 films to Udine, including eight world premieres, 18 international premieres, 21 European premieres, and 20 Italian premieres, representing 12 countries. The event attracted 236 guests of honor and over 2,000 accreditations. The online edition, streamed via MYmovies One, recorded more than 7,000 hours of viewing, with Okuyama Yoshiyuki’s “5 Centimeters Per Second” being voted the Purple Mulberry Award winner by online audiences. Across the city of Udine, over 20,000 people participated in various Far East Film Events, including an exhibition by illustrator Chihoi at the Visionario cinema, which is scheduled to run until May 24.

Sabrina Baracetti and Thomas Bertacche, the festival’s organizers, reflected on the edition, noting its maturity across three key dimensions: film quality, popular participation, and territorial impact. Looking ahead, ideas for the 29th edition are already in development, including a special focus on Hong Kong’s 30 years since the handover. FEFF29 is slated to take place from April 23 to May 1, 2027, once again in Udine.