Japanese filmmaker Ryusuke Hamaguchi secured the coveted Best Film award in the main official competition of the 67th London Film Festival with his latest feature, “Evil Does Not Exist.”

This enigmatic film serves as Hamaguchi’s follow-up to the Oscar-winning “Drive My Car”. It delves into the lives of Takumi, a young father, and his daughter, Hana, who reside in Village, near Tokyo. Like generations before them, they lead a modest life in harmony with the rhythms of nature. However, their tranquil existence is threatened by plans to construct a glamping site near Takumi’s home, offering city dwellers an escape to nature, potentially endangering the area’s ecological balance and the local way of life.

Ryusuke Hamaguchi

The festival jury, including Mexican filmmaker Amat Escalante, Kate Taylor from the 2023 Edinburgh International Film Festival, and English novelist Niven Govinden, hailed “Evil Does Not Exist” as a subtle cinematic gem. They commended the film for its fully realized performances and its ability to merge family and community dynamics with a nuanced examination of land development ethics. In a highly competitive field, the jury unanimously praised the film.

Lina Soualem’s Palestinian-focused doc Bye Bye Tiberias 

In other main competition awards,, Lina Soualem’s Palestinian-focused documentary, “Bye Bye Tiberias,” secured the Grierson Award. The film, set years after Hiam Abbass (known for “Succession”) left her Palestinian village to pursue an acting career in France, follows her return home with her daughter, filmmaker Lina Soualem. The documentary jury, comprising Rubika Shah, Jeanie Finlay, and Paul Tonta, praised Soualem for crafting an elegant exploration of three generations of women in her family and the places that shaped their identities. “Bye Bye Tiberias” transcends the boundaries of the family home to delve into themes of grief, identity and the drive to self-discovery.

Soualem thanked the BFI London Film Festival and UK audiences for embracing her film. She highlighted the importance of films in providing a sense of visibility, particularly in times of uncertainty and stigmatization.

At the London Film Festival, Mika Gustafson’s “Paradise Is Burning” won the Sutherland Award for the First Feature Competition. Simisolaoluwa Akande’s “The Archive: Queer Nigerians” won the Short Film Award.

Netflix’s “The Kitchen,” co-directed by Oscar winner Kibwe Tavares and Daniel Kaluuya, premiered at the London Film Festival. Marking Kaluuya’s directorial debut, the film features his talents as a writer and producer.