Satomi Ishihara and Riho Yoshioka: Captivating Stars at the 2024 Hochi Film Awards

Satomi Ishihara in front of her parents

On December 16, the 49th Hochi Film Awards ceremony was held in Tokyo, where actress Satomi Ishihara (37), who won the Best Actress Award for the film Missing, took the stage in a glamorous white dress.

“I made my film debut at the age of 15, and at 16, I received my first-ever award—the Newcomer Award at the Hochi Film Awards. I vividly remember my parents joining in with tears streaming down their faces. It’s been 21 years. Winning my first Best Actress Award truly makes me so happy,” said Ishihara, sharing her joy in front of her parents who were present at the event.

“In Missing, I portrayed a mother desperately searching for her missing daughter, gradually falling apart due to the emotional distance with her husband and public criticism. During the film’s completion preview screening in April 2024, Ishihara revealed that she personally requested director Keisuke Yoshida to include her in the film seven years ago. Though initially declined, the director contacted her three years later, and she was cast. She approached the role with the mindset of wanting to ‘break away from her past self,’ delivering intense and gripping performances,” said a film magazine reporter.

After concluding her speech on stage, Ishihara returned to her seat and shared a high-five with her co-star Takataka Aoki (44), sporting a wide smile.

On the same day, another radiant actress stood out. Riho Yoshioka (31) received the Best Supporting Actress Award for her role in the film Shota. Yoshioka, appearing in a striking black dress with a revealing neckline and back, captivated the audience’s attention. However, she displayed a visibly nervous expression even before stepping onto the stage.

 

Riho Yoshioka shed tears.

“In the film, she plays a freelance writer who becomes drawn to a wanted criminal, slowly becoming aware of his true identity. She beautifully portrays a complex woman who oscillates between her journalistic beliefs and her desire to trust the man she loves” (a reporter mentioned earlier).

On stage, Yoshioka shared her emotions, saying, “I felt overwhelmed”. She then added,

“This award is a huge, significant moment for me, and it felt like a push to keep going with this mindset.”

She was moved to tears. The same film also received the Best Picture Award, with the lead actor, Ryusei Yokohama (28), winning the Best Actor Award. The film broke the 200 million yen mark within its first three days, becoming a major hit.

The performances of both Ishihara and Yoshioka are shining a bright light on the future of the Japanese film industry.