Tokyo International Film Festival announces lineup and theme

The 39th Tokyo International Film Festival is scheduled to take place from October 26 to November 4, centered in the Hibiya and Yurakucho districts. Under the theme “CONNECT — The World Beyond What Movies Connect,” the festival aims to bridge different worlds through the act of creation, viewing, and communication.

The opening film will be “SUKIYAKI,” directed by Takahisa Zeze, which dramatizes the origins of the legendary song “Sukiyaki” (Ue o Muite Arukou). The closing film is the South Korean production “Colony,” directed by Yeon Sang-ho. Other notable screenings include “Godzilla -0.0-” as a centerpiece work and various selections in the competition and animation categories.

This year’s festival introduces the “CROSSCUT ASIA+” category, a collaboration between emerging programmers from Southeast Asia and Japan. Actor Kento Nakajima has been appointed as the festival navigator. The international jury will be led by director Rolf de Heer.