Photo/Illutration From left, Tomokazu Miura, director Sho Miyake and Yukino Kishii are all smiles after “Small, Slow but Steady” is named best Japanese film of 2022 by film magazine Kinema Junpo during an awards ceremony held in Tokyo on Feb. 1. (Takuji Hosomi)

“Small, Slow but Steady,” a drama inspired by the life of a former professional boxer with hearing disabilities, was named best Japanese film in 2022 by leading entertainment magazine Kinema Junpo.

Yukino Kishii, who played the protagonist, Keiko Ogasawara, was given the best actress award by the film magazine. Kishii went through intensive training sessions for about three months to prepare for the role.

Tomokazu Miura received the magazine’s best supporting actor award for his portrayal of the chief of Keiko’s boxing gym.

The film’s director, Sho Miyake, was voted best Japanese director of the year in a readers’ poll.

“When I perform in front of the camera, I sometimes feel anxious about how much I understand the scene I’m about to play and how much I share the vision with other actors and staff,” a tearful Kishii said during the awards ceremony held in Tokyo on Feb. 1.

“But with director Miyake and his crew, I think we could move forward with the story because they accepted ideas from everyone and shared them with everyone,” she said. “It felt so reassuring.”

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