Tokyo Film Festival Celebrates Women's Empowerment and Veteran Filmmakers

The Tokyo International Film Festival, under the leadership of Hiroyasu Ando, has seen significant progress in the past five years. Despite the challenges of the global pandemic during Ando's first full event in charge, the festival is now generating more buzz than it has in decades.

The festival has seen an increase in world premieres, international guests, and side events, as well as a relocation to more accessible and atmospheric districts. This has helped boost the festival's profile and clout. However, Ando is not resting on his laurels and is determined to continue driving progress, attracting more local cinemagoers, and strengthening the event's impact beyond just the cinema industry.

One of the festival's key focuses this year is women's empowerment. The opening, centerpiece, and closing films all feature stories centered around women. Additionally, the festival has seen a steady increase in the representation of women in its staff, with women now making up over 57% of the total staff and 33.3% of senior positions.

The festival has also honored two veteran Japanese filmmakers, Yōji Yamada and Sayuri Yoshinaga, with lifetime achievement awards. Yamada, at 91 years old, is still actively making films and is considered a living dictionary of Japanese cinema, having educated many younger filmmakers. Yoshinaga's film was the opening film for the festival.

Ando is also working to reach a wider audience beyond just cinephiles, acknowledging that many Tokyo residents still don't realize the festival is happening. The festival has launched new initiatives, such as the Asian Film Students Conference, to nurture young filmmakers in Asia and promote dialogue and understanding through cinema.