International Auto Film Festa
The 3rd（2025）
2025 Jury Members (Titles Omitted)
Yoshiyuki Shimizu
Founder of International Auto Film Festa / Japan 
A graduate of Musashino Art University, Shimizu has led advertising initiatives centered on automotive promotions across web and TV commercials, including photography, copywriting, casting, location coordination, and event management. Since 2006, he has been active in video production and currently works as an automotive videographer. In 2022, he launched the International Auto Film Festa.
Peter Lyon
Journalist / Author / Australia 
Born in Perth, Australia, Lyon started his career as a motor journalist in Tokyo in 1988 and has since contributed car-related stories to Car & Driver (US), Top Gear (UK), and Quattroruote (Italy) etc and currently writes for Forbes. In 1989, the Japanese-speaking Lyon played Giants’ ace baseball pitcher Victor Starffin in Nihon TV’s WWII drama special “Frozen Eyes” and later produced the English subtitles for two films by director Juzo Itami. In 2014, he published a book on Japan’s car culture “Flashing Hazards,” and from 2015-23, he co-hosted NHK World’s car show “Samurai Wheels” with ex-F1 racer Ukyo Katayama. He is a juror for the Japan Car of the Year and Best Cars of the Year, and is a judge for Toyota’s Dream Car Art Contest. In 2010, he placed 4th-in-class in the Nurburgring 24-Hour Race co-driving a V8 Lexus IS-F.
Tetsuya Kato
CEO of CAR GRAPHIC / Japan
Born in Tokyo in 1959, Kato graduated from Tamagawa University with a degree in Theater Arts. Inspired by filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci, he studied theater in college. After graduation, he joined a TV production company, and in 1985 he joined Nigensha, a publishing company. He was assigned to CAR GRAPHIC, where he became Deputy Editor in 1995 and Editor-in-Chief in 2000. Since 2010, he has served as CEO of CAR GRAPHIC and became Executive Chair of the Japan Car of the Year Committee in 2023.
Shinichiro Ehara
CEO of Auto BIld Japan / Japan
Representative of Auto Bild Japan, the Japanese edition of Auto Bild, the number one automotive magazine in Europe in terms of circulation.
A car enthusiast who became fascinated with classic cars after purchasing a classic Mercedes.
Shinichiro is also a movie fan, and while working at a commercial production company, he was involved in producing commercials for car manufacturers.
Satoshi Ubukata
Motor Journalist / Japan
Born in 1964, Ubukata worked as a systems engineer for a multinational IT company after graduating from college. However, driven by a passion for cars, he joined CAR GRAPHIC in 1992, starting a new career as a reporter. He later became a freelance editor and writer, contributing test drives and race reports to automotive media. He also manages editorial operations for websites.
Mário Bock
Director of the 2024 Grand Prix Film / Portugal 
Winner of the 2024 International Auto Film Festa Grand Prix, Mário is a freelance cinematographer based in Portugal. With a robust background as a Director and Cinematographer, he’s collaborated with acclaimed music bands like Miguel Araújo, Radio Moscow, Luca Argel, and corporate giants including Super Bock, Danone, Parfois, Corticeira Amorim, and Worten. His lens has also captured compelling stories for top production companies like 313 Features, Aquele Abraço, and Blanche Films. Operating both in Portugal and abroad, Mário brings a diverse skill set to every project. Whether it’s documenting live performances, sports, or crafting cinematic experiences for brands, his commitment to excellence is unwavering.
Ukyo Katayama
Former F1 Racer / Director of Team UKYO / Japan
The 1991 champion of the Japanese F3000 Championship, Katayama competed in F1 from 1992-97, with a record 95 races for a Japanese driver. After retiring from F1, he competed in cycling and secured a 2nd place finish at the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 2001, he founded Team UKYO, overseeing a cycling team and serving as team director for GSR’s GT300 Championship team. He has also climbed some of the world’s highest peaks and actively promotes environmental conservation through biofuel-powered participation in the Paris-Dakar Rally.
Jaclyn Trop
Automotive Reporter / USA 
An award-winning journalist with a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University, Trop covers travel, transportation, and business. Her work has been published in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Bloomberg Businessweek, Vogue, ELLE, Glamour, Marie Claire, Fortune, Newsweek, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Rolling Stone, Robb Report, Money, Discover, Consumer Reports, USA Today, and more. She has reported from five continents and sampled ice cream in over 60 countries. Trop is a jury member for the World Car Awards.
Mike Rutherford
Automotive Critic / Columnist / UK 
London-born Rutherford has served as a columnist/editor for The Sun, Daily Mirror, News of The World, Daily Telegraph, Independent, and Sunday Times among others. He is Chief Columnist for Auto Express and is President of the British Motor Show. He is a founder and judge of The Motoring Hall of Fame and Best Cars Of The Year and frequently appears as a commentator on BBC, Sky, and CBS. Over the last 35-plus years, he has presented over 1,000 motoring, sports and current affairs programmes for LBC, talkRADIO and ITV. He has interviewed four UK prime ministers, worked as a ghost-writer for two F1 drivers and was awarded the coveted Newspress Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022 and is a trustee for the Marcus Rutherford Foundation / Young Adult Cancer Trust.
Masato Uchida
Designer / Japan
After graduating from a technical school, Uchida began his career at a graphic design firm. He later transitioned to a European car tuning brand, focusing on product design. With extensive experience, he became a founding member of a startup specializing in various aspects of the automotive industry for over a decade. Currently, he works at an automotive goods company, focusing on design. In 2021, he launched Honeycomb Design, based in his hometown of Shonan.
Masahiro Terada
Director, Columnist / Japan
Terada is a journalist and director who has traveled tens of thousands of kilometers across 50 countries and five continents by car, covering diverse landscapes. His extensive travels include a North American cross-country tour, traversing Australia and South America, and participating in international rallies like the Dakar Rally. Having conquered extreme landscapes like the Sahara, Namib Desert, Uyuni Salt Flats, and the Andes, he advises on world premiere videos for new car launches, drawing from his vast on-the-ground experiences. He is also a member of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS).