Fujiko, a Japanese family drama from filmmaker Taichi Kimura, has won the top audience prize at the 28th Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy.
The film received the Golden Mulberry Audience Award as this year’s edition of the festival came to a close. The win marks a major recognition for Kimura’s second feature, which stood out among a wide selection of Asian films screened during the event.
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Fujiko is set in Japan during the 1970s and 1980s and follows a middle-aged single mother trying to build a life for herself during a period when society was still struggling with changing ideas about women’s independence.
The film blends family drama with lighter, human moments, using one woman’s story to explore personal freedom, social expectations and generational change. Its cast includes Yuki Katayama, Lily Franky, Tsuyoshi Ujiki, Keiko Takeshita, Kayoko Kishimoto and Issey Ogata.
The festival’s second-place audience award, the Silver Mulberry, went to the South Korean documentary The Seoul Guardians, directed by Kim Jong-woo, Kim Shin-wan and Cho Chul-young.
The documentary looks back at the dramatic events of Dec. 3, 2024, when crowds in Seoul took to the streets after then-President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law. The film has been praised for capturing both the shock and public resistance surrounding one of South Korea’s most extraordinary recent political moments.
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The Seoul Guardians also shared the festival’s Black Dragon Critics Prize with Fujiko, giving both films additional recognition from critics as well as audiences.
The Crystal Mulberry, awarded to the third-place audience favorite, was shared by four films this year. The titles were:
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The unusual four-way result reflected the range of audience favorites at this year’s festival, which featured dramas, documentaries, action titles and historical stories from across Asia.
The White Mulberry Award, selected by the jury and given to the best debut feature, went to Unidentified Murder by Kwok Ka-hei and Jack Lee. A special mention in the category was awarded to The Seoul Guardians.
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The award for Best Screenplay was presented to Tunnels: Sun in the Dark. Anthony Chen’s We Are All Strangers also received a special mention for its writing.
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The 2026 Far East Film Festival also celebrated several major names in Asian cinema. Japanese actor Koji Yakusho and Hong Kong filmmaker and martial arts choreographer Yuen Woo-ping both received the Golden Mulberry Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Chinese actress Fan Bingbing was honored with the Golden Mulberry for Outstanding Achievement, adding another high-profile moment to the festival’s closing events.
Organizers said this year’s Far East Film Festival screened 75 films from 12 countries. The lineup included eight world premieres, 18 international premieres, 21 European premieres and 20 Italian premieres.
The festival also reported stronger attendance than the previous year, with around 70,000 visitors attending screenings and events throughout the 2026 edition.
Festival organizers confirmed that the 29th Far East Film Festival will take place from April 23 to May 1, 2027. Hong Kong will be the country and cinema industry in focus for the next edition.
With Fujiko taking the top audience prize and The Seoul Guardians earning both audience and critics’ recognition, the 2026 Far East Film Festival closed by highlighting the emotional range and political urgency of contemporary Asian cinema.
From intimate family stories to documentaries about historic public protest, this year’s winners showed why the Udine festival remains one of Europe’s most important showcases for films from East and Southeast Asia.
