An indication of the growing strength of Japanese films against international competition, Daihachi Yoshida’s dark comic drama “Teki Cometh” won three prizes in the Competition section at the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF): The Tokyo Grand Prix for best film, best director for Yoshida and best actor for star Kyozo Nagatsuka.

This is the first time a Japanese film has won the festival’s biggest prize in 19 years, since Kichitaro Negishi’s “What the Snow Brings” took home the top nod in 2005.

Competition jury member and acclaimed Hong Kong film director Johnnie To praised Yoshida’s direction in his native Cantonese at the closing ceremony on Wednesday, saying, “Through effective cinematic language, he intricately portrays the mindset of the elderly character and the issues he faces, creating a deeply moving work.”