This year marks the 52nd anniversary of the Japan Foundation Awards, which were launched in 1973, the year after the establishment of the Japan Foundation (JF). Over the past 5 decades, this award has been presented to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to promoting international mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and other countries through academic, artistic, and other cultural pursuits.
Mr. Marty Gross – Canadian filmmaker, producer, and director – is one of the two recipients for the 2025 awards, having been selected from among 106 nominated candidates. Congratulations, Mr. Gross! He is scheduled to attend the Award Ceremony to be held in Tokyo in October this year.
(C) photo by Grant Delin
Marty Gross is a celebrated Canadian filmmaker, film archivist, and consulting producer renowned for his passionate commitment to bringing Japanese culture to audiences worldwide.
Born in Toronto in 1948, he attended York University in Oriental Studies and Fine Art before journeying to Japan in 1970 to train as a potter. Gross launched his filmmaking career with AS WE ARE, a short film made in his teaching studio about his work with children with special needs. His second film, Potters at Work (1976), a short, in-depth film about potters in Koishiwara, Fukuoka Prefecture, and Onta, Oita Prefecture. Gross went on to direct The Lovers’ Exile (1980), which was skillfully adapted into a 90-minute feature film with dynamic camerawork that captures the drama of the puppets and the mastery of the puppeteers, accompanied by powerful traditional gidayu music. With English subtitles by Donald Richie, the result is a captivating production that played a pivotal role in introducing the world to the art of Bunraku.
Throughout the years, Gross has forged strong ties with the Japanese film industry, serving as a consulting producer for the renowned US distributor The Criterion Collection. In this role, he played a key part in the release and distribution of countless classic Japanese films and conducted in-depth interviews with key industry figures, obtaining numerous testimonies of the value of Japanese cinema throughout history.
One of Gross’s most remarkable achievements is the restoration of old films. Through his Mingei Film Archive Project, he has unearthed and meticulously restored rare 16 mm footage captured in the 1930s by the legendary British potter Bernard Leach—a captivating visual testament to the influential Mingei (Folk Craft) Movement. Driven by a deep passion for this cultural movement, Gross has traveled to Japan, South Korea, the UK, and the US to gather footage, gradually compiling a vast archive. This collection has rekindled the belief, held by the Mingei Movement, that beauty can be found in everyday handcrafted objects, breathing new life into the movement’s timeless spirit for today’s audiences.
Through his lifelong dedication to sharing Japan’s traditional performing arts and folk crafts on film, Marty Gross has contributed meaningfully to international mutual understanding. His remarkable contributions make him a deserving recipient of the Japan Foundation Award.
Ms. Noriko Yamamoto, Executive Director of The Japan Foundation, Toronto delivers the award notification letter from JF President Shinya Kurosawa to 2025 recipient, Mr. Marty Gross.
