It was a week of highs and lows for Japanese cinema as nominations for the Japan Academy Film Prize and the Oscars were announced Monday and Thursday, respectively.

For the Japan Academy Film Prize ¡ª Japan¡¯s top film honors ¡ª Lee Sang-il¡¯s kabuki drama ¡°Kokuho¡± emerged as the leading contender. The surprise smash hit earned a best picture nomination along with nods in 12 other categories, including best director and actor, as well as multiple spots in the best supporting actor and supporting actress categories.

Based on Shuichi Yoshida¡¯s two-part novel of the same name, ¡°Kokuho¡± follows the lives of two onnagata (male kabuki actors playing female roles) who become friends and rivals in postwar Osaka. Released in June, the film gained momentum through word of mouth, climbing to the top of the box office and holding its position for weeks. By Nov. 24, ¡°Kokuho¡± grossed more than ?17.37 billion ($111 million), breaking a 22-year-old domestic box-office record for a live-action Japanese film set by the 2003 actioner ¡°Bayside Shakedown 2.¡±

In addition to ¡°Kokuho,¡± the films vying for Japan¡¯s best picture this year are ¡°Hero¡¯s Island,¡± ¡°Suzuki=Bakudan,¡± ¡°First Kiss¡± and ¡°Tokyo Taxi.¡±

Although ¡°Kokuho¡± made the Oscars shortlist for best international feature film in December, it ultimately received just one nomination, for best makeup and hairstyling. International film nods instead went to ¡°It Was Just an Accident¡± (France), ¡°Sentimental Value¡± (Norway), ¡°Sirat¡± (Spain), ¡°The Secret Agent¡± (Brazil) and ¡°The Voice of Hind Rajab¡± (Tunisia).

Ryan Coogler¡¯s vampire horror flick ¡°Sinners¡± broke a new record for Oscar nominations by receiving an all-time high of 16 nods, appearing in nearly every category, including best picture.

The will be held at Tokyo¡¯s Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa on March 13, and the Academy Awards will take place March 15 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.