Schedule
Guest
News
Sponsor
Market
14 feature-length films completed after January 2019 are in the running for awards. The carefully selected entries provide a glimpse of "The World at a Glance" and will be judged by a panel of internationally recognized filmmakers.
Up-and-coming Asian directors who have directed no more than three feature-length films compete in this section. Eight fresh films from the Middle East to East Asia, including Japan, are lined up this year. Witness these vibrant films from Asia first-hand!
Films displaying originality and a willingness to take on new challenges have been picked from the burgeoning category of Japanese independent films. This section supports films that are ready to make a splash on the global scene. Which film will be crowned this year?
This year, in addition to the opening and closing films, GALA screening will be held. This autumn's much anticipated releases and topical films will be screened in this category. Film stars and crew will make appearances on the red carpet.
A collection from the past one year with its unique reflections on contemporary Japanese filmmaking. This section brings the world a crosssection of modern Japanese cinema. This year, we feature Nobuhiko Obayashi, the Wizard of Cinema, with his latest work.
With the support of Aniplex Inc., the World Focus section is proud to be the showcase of notable animations, prize-winning works from various international film festivals, and unseen in Japan but highly anticipated works from around the world. We will also collaborate with the Latin Beat Film Festival this year.
This section presents the works that are milestones for international recognition of the culture of visual expression through animation and VFX, summarizing the historical progress of the industry.
The Japan Foundation Asia Center presents CROSSCUT ASIA, a selection of films from this vibrant and diverse continent. This year's line-up showcases "fantastic" films, from horror to romance, from Southeast Asia.
This section showcases classic Japanese films. This year, Japanese Classics will feature legendary actress Machiko Kyo. Star of numerous major international film festival winners, Kyo was touted the "Grand Prix Actress", and was poised to celebrate the 70th anniversary of her debut, when she passed away on May 12th this year. TIFF will feature prominent Daiei Film titles in which she starred.
The target audience of this section is teens and children. Fascinating films that will resonate with young people, films that will help them face the world, and works that will bring them closer to the world of film have been selected. For both parents and children to enjoy. Vanilla Yamazaki will appear in TIFF-Children again this year!
Yoshihiko Yatabe
Yatabe entered the film distribution and advertising business after working for the Industrial Bank of Japan (currently Mizuho Bank). He also has produced documentaries and managed the Festival du Film Français au Japon. Joining TIFF in 2002, he oversaw the Programming Division and served as Programming Director for the Japanese Eyes section (17-25th TIFF) and Japanese Cinema Splash (26th TIFF). In 2007, he assumed the position of Competition Programming Director for TIFF.
Kenji Ishizaka
Ishizaka began researching and critiquing Asian and documentary films after majoring in film studies in Waseda University's Graduate School. He planned and managed an Asia Middle-East Film Festival Series from 1990 to 2007 for the Japan Foundation. He has been a Programming Director of TIFF since its 20th edition in 2007. He concurrently holds the position of the professor and dean of Japan Institute of the Moving Image. He has written several books including "Dynamic Southeast Asian movies - Multicultural, transboundary and solidarity-" published by Ronsosha.
Kohei Ando
Ando, who in his youth worked with Shuji Terayama, is known for his refined and creative expressivity as a filmmaker. He is a global pioneer in incorporating Hi-vision techniques into filmmaking. His films have received numerous awards, including the Silver Maile Award at the Hawaii International Film Festival and the Grand Prize at the International Electronic Cinema Festival in Montreux. His works are included in the collections of major art museums and film libraries in Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo and elsewhere. In both 2001 and 2005, Ando retrospectives were held in Paris. He is also a professor emeritus at Waseda University.
Ryusuke Hikawa
Hikawa is an animation and special effects researcher, as well as a Professor in the Graduate School of Global Japanes Studies, Meiji University. He graduated from Tokyo Institute of Technology. Hikawa has served as a jury member at the Japan Media Arts Festival animation section, the Mainichi Film Awards and as a selection member of the Film Merit Category, The Bunka-Cho Film Awards. He is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan. For the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, he conducted a survey on special effects in Japan and wrote the "Guide to Japanese Animation: Robot Animation." He recently authored "Hosoda Mamoru no sekai-kibou to kiseki wo umu anime-shon" (The World of Hosoda Mamoru: Animation Generating Hope and Miracles).
