Japanese film 'Drive My Car' honored by US critics

NHK -- Jan 11

The Japanese feature film "Drive My Car" has been awarded the 2021 Best Picture and three other honors by the US National Society of Film Critics.

The movie is based on a short story by Japanese author Murakami Haruki. It depicts a stage actor and director who faces the secret of his dead wife in the company of a woman he hires as a driver. The main character was played by Nishijima Hidetoshi, who won the award for Best Actor.

Hamaguchi Ryusuke took the award for Best Director, while he and Oe Takamasa won Best Screenplay for the film.

The US film critics' awards are considered to be a preview of the Academy Awards.

The movie also won the Best Screenplay Award at last year's Cannes Film Festival.