The Japanese movie ‘Fourteen’ (Ju-Yon-Sai) of director Hiromasa Hirosue has won a special prize at the 36th International Film Festival of Rotterdam.”The Netpac Award goes to the meticulously made ‘Fourteen’…for its insight into psychology, generational barriers and for its bold analysis of complex culture,” the jury said last weekend.

Netpac stands for Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema. Its jury consists of Teresa Kwong Pui Sze ( Hong Kong Arts Center), Nashen Moodley (Durban International Film Festival) and Philippine filmmaker Lav Diaz.

“Fourteen” depicts the life of a young female teacher and a piano student who relive parts of their youth with which they never came to terms.

Traditionally, Japan is one of the countries which are best represented at the Rotterdam International Film Festival, with almost 30 different films at the 2007 event.