The “main character” of this year's CoFesta, which will be held for the third time this year, is an internationally renowned actor Mr. Koji Yakusho. He is also active as a film director and his first work as a director, “Toad’s Oil” has already been released this year.

“Japanese have various contents. I hope the real attractions and talents of contents would be appealed and CoFesta would give assistance to those talents” － Koji Yakusyo

Koji Yakusho

Born: January, 1st,1956
Birth Place: Isahaya, Nagasaki pref.

He was born January 1st, 1956, in Isahaya, Nagasaki, Japan.
In 1996, he monopolized wins of the Best Actor in a Leading Role Prize at 14 domestic movie awards by Masayuki Suo’s “Shall We Dance?”, Yasuhira Oguri’s “Sleeping Man”, Tatsuoki Hosono’s “Syabu-Gokudo” (Shabu is Japanese slang for stimulant drugs, and also Gokudo for Japanese a gangsters)
In addition, a lot of films that he appeared on were exhibited at international film festivals, and he won many prizes including the Best Actor Prize in a Leading Role at Tokyo International Film Festival by Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s “Cure” (‘97), the Palme d’Or Prize at Cannes Film Festival by Shohei Imamura’s “The Eel” (‘97), the FIPRESCI and Ecumenical Prize at Cannes Film Festival by Shinji Aoyama’s “Eureka” (‘01) and the Best Actor Prize in Leading Role at Chicago International Film Festival by Shohei Imamura’s “Warm Water Under a Red Bridge” and so on.
In 2005 he appeared in “Memoirs of a Geisha “(Known as “SAYURI”)directed by Rob Marshall, and in 2006 he appeared in “Babel” directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, the film won the Ecumenical Prize at Cannes Film Festival, the Best Film Prize at Golden Glove Awards and was nominated at Academy Award. He extended his field of the activity abroad.
Other film credits; “Kamikaze Taxi” directed by Masato Harada (’95), “Paradise Lost” by Yoshimitsu Morita (‘97), “Dora-heita” by Kon Ichikawa (’00), “Doppelganger” by Kiyoshi Kurosawa(’03), ”Warai no Daigaku: University of Laughs” by Mamoru Hoshi(’04), “Lorelei: The Witch of the Pacific Ocean” by Shinji Higuchi (’05), “The Uchoten Hotel” by Koki Mitani (’06).
As his lately activities, in 2007 he appeared on movies including “Soredemo Bokuwa Yattenai: I Just Didn’t Do It” directed by Masayuki Suo, and “Retibution: Sakebi” by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, “Argentin Baba” by Naoki Nagao, “Zou no Senaka: Walking My Life” by Satoshi Isaka and “Babel”. In 2008 the movie “SILK“ was released, and it is a joint production of Japanese and Canadian and Italian film companies. And Tetsuya Nakashima's “Paco and the Magical Picture Book“ and Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s “Tokyo Sonata". In March he was awarded “Tribute“ at the Deauville Asian Film Festival against his performance and contribution to the Asian Film. In April Koji Yakusho was awarded the Best Actor Award for his performance in "Zo no Senaka" at the Film Madrid International Film Festival. He plays an active part in theatrical world as a one of typical of Japanese actors. In 2009, he appeared on Kazumi Kurigami's "Gelatin-Silver, Love" and Daisaku Kimura's "Tsurugidake: Ten no ki". Besides he made his debut with "Tod’s Oil" as a film director, and he also played a leading role in the movie.