One of the most important Southeast Asian filmmakers of our time, Nugroho captures his love for Indonesia, his people and the Javanese culture through the camera, while keeping to an undeniable poetic, reflective film style that resonates strongly with audiences. His natural filmmaking flair was recognized from the very start, with his debut fiction feature film “Love in a Slice of Bread” (1991) clinching the Best Film Award at the Indonesian Film Festival that year. He went on to receive various awards for his films – “Letter for an Angel” (1994) won Best Film, while “Leaf on a Pillow” (1998) won the Special Jury Prize at the Tokyo International Film Festival. 

A recipient of the French honorary decoration Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres, he was also accorded the Best Young Director prize at the Asia Pacific International Film Festival in Seoul in 1992, Best Director at the Pyongyang International Film Festival and the Young Filmmakers Jury Award at the Berlin Film Festival in 1994. Gaining critical attention internationally, he made the region proud by directing a gamelan musical “Opera Jawa” (2006) as part of a commission by the government of Austria for the 250th Anniversary of Mozart’s birth. His latest black-and-white silent movie “Setan Jawa” (2017) impressively combined the performances by a traditional Javanese gamelan ensemble with a modern symphony orchestra in his expression of the complexities of Indonesia.

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The Cinema Legend Award this year will be conferred on Japan’s leading actor, Koji Yakusho. The award recognizes the body of work of Asian actors while celebrating their talent and outstanding achievements in bringing Asia’s story to life on screen.

Best known for his sensitive portrayals of the common man, Yakusho rose to stardom with his breakout role of feudal lord Oda Nobunaga in the NHK drama, “Tokugawa Ieyasu” in the 1980s. Having worked on more than 60 films, including Palme d’Or winner “The Eel” (1997), “Shall We Dance” (1996), “Memoirs of a Geisha” (2005), “Babel” (2006) and “13 Assassins” (2010), he was also a recipient of multiple awards that recognize his prolific career. This includes the Shiju Hosho Medal of Honour from the Emperor of Japan for his outstanding achievements, making him a recipient at the youngest age for an actor. He continues to inspire with his lifelong dedication to acting with his latest works, including Japanese thriller “The Third Murder”, an official selection in competition at 2017 Venice International Film Festival, and a special appearance in “Oh Lucy!”

Festival-goers can look forward to meeting and interacting with both Yakusho and Nugroho at their masterclasses at ArtScience Museum on December 2, and the National Museum of Singapore on December 3 respectively.

The 28th SGIFF, which runs from November 23 to December 3, will take place across various venues, including Marina Bay Sands, Shaw Theatres Lido, National Museum of Singapore, National Gallery Singapore, The Arts House, Filmgarde Bugis+, Objectifs and SCAPE.