NHK-WOWOW drama on Nagasaki hibakusha journalist wins Prix Italia TV drama prize
In short
NHK announced on 5 October that “Hachi-gatsu no Koe wo Hakobu Otoko”, a drama it produced with WOWOW about the journalist Akihiko Ito and his collection of atomic-bomb survivors’ testimony, won the top prize in the television drama category of the 78th Prix Italia. Masahiro Motoki, who starred in the work, said the award showed that a single drama can speak across borders, and director Takeshi Shibata said he hoped it would reach many people at a time when war is spreading in the world.
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NHK announced on 5 October that the drama “Hachi-gatsu no Koe wo Hakobu Otoko”, which it produced with WOWOW and broadcast last August as a drama marking 80 years since the end of the war, won the top prize in the television drama category of the 78th Prix Italia, an international competition for outstanding broadcasting and digital works. [ 1 , 3 ]
The drama is based on the true story of the journalist Akihiko Ito, who lived in Nagasaki in the 1970s and travelled around Japan collecting the testimony of atomic-bomb survivors, according to the reports. Mynavi News said the work depicts the fateful encounters brought about by the atomic bombing, with Masahiro Motoki in the lead role and Takeshi Shibata directing. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Mynavi News reported that the Prix Italia jury praised the drama for “depicting a universal essence common to humanity”, for listening to silence and watching events from a step back, and for urging viewers above all never to forget the past. The jury said the work explores the effects the atomic bomb had on people and deepens awareness of the consequences of the nuclear threat that continues to press the world, the outlet reported. [ 2 ]
Motoki said he felt “great relief and warmth in the fact that a single drama work speaks across borders to people’s hearts and reaches them”, and that he hoped it would reach more people, according to Sankei Shimbun and Mynavi News. Shibata said he was grateful that a story about atomic-bomb survivors had been conveyed beyond Japan, adding: “At a time when war is spreading around the world, I hope this work reaches as many hearts as possible.” [ 1 , 2 ]
Sankei Shimbun reported that 226 works from 52 countries and regions were entered in this year’s Prix Italia across its television, radio and digital categories. Mynavi News reported that the Prix Italia was founded in 1948 by the Italian public broadcaster RAI and that the awards ceremony was held on 2 October local time in L’Aquila, Italy. [ 1 , 2 ]
Why it matters
The prize is international recognition outside Japan for a Japanese television drama built on atomic-bomb survivors’ testimony, and the jury citation reported by Mynavi News frames it around nuclear threat and the need not to forget the past. The documents give no details on audience numbers, distribution or the award’s effect on the drama’s availability, so its wider impact remains unclear.
Key facts
- NHK announced on 5 October that the drama “Hachi-gatsu no Koe wo Hakobu Otoko” won the top prize in the television drama category of the 78th Prix Italia. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The drama was produced by NHK with WOWOW and broadcast last August. [ 1 , 3 ]
- It is based on the true story of the journalist Akihiko Ito, who lived in Nagasaki in the 1970s and collected the testimony of atomic-bomb survivors. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Masahiro Motoki starred in the drama and Takeshi Shibata directed it. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Mynavi News reported that the jury praised the work for depicting a universal human essence and for urging viewers never to forget the past. [ 2 ]
- Sankei Shimbun reported that 226 works from 52 countries and regions were entered in this year’s Prix Italia across its television, radio and digital categories. [ 1 ]
- Mynavi News reported that the Prix Italia was founded in 1948 by the Italian public broadcaster RAI and that the awards ceremony was held on 2 October local time in L’Aquila, Italy. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- The jury’s citation, including its remarks on nuclear threat and on not forgetting the past, and the comments of director Takeshi Shibata appear only in Mynavi News. Single-source material; Sankei Shimbun and Yahoo! News Japan quote the lead actor but not the jury or the director.
- The figure of 226 entries from 52 countries and regions is given only by Sankei Shimbun. Single-source detail; the other documents do not mention the size or scope of the competition.
- The documents do not state a time for the awards ceremony, only that it was held on 2 October local time in L’Aquila. The timeline entry for the ceremony can therefore be dated but not timed.
- The documents say the drama was broadcast last August but do not give an exact broadcast date or details of further distribution. No outlet provides the broadcast date or any release information.
- NHK announced on 5 October that the drama won the top prize in the television drama category of the 78th Prix Italia. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Sankei Shimbun reports NHK’s announcement of the award, citing 226 entries from 52 countries and regions. [ 1 ]
- Mynavi News reports the win with the jury’s citation and comments from Masahiro Motoki and director Takeshi Shibata, and says the ceremony was held on 2 October in L’Aquila. [ 2 ]
- Yahoo! News Japan reports the award and Motoki’s reaction, and asks readers what they find most notable about it. [ 3 ]