Full Lineup for the 27th Tokyo International Film Festival Announced

The press conference to announce the complete line-up and jury members for the 27th edition of Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) was held today, at Toranomon Hills, Tokyo. Following a welcoming address from Yasushi SHIINA, Director General of TIFF, the complete line-up of the main sections were introduced by the programming directors, in addition to the earlier announcement of Opening and Closing films: “Big Hero 6” (Directors: Don HALL, Chris WILLIAMS) and “PARASYTE” (Director: Takashi YAMAZAKI). For the competition section, a total of 1,373 titles from 92 countries and regions were submitted to TIFF this year.

Daihachi YOSHIDA, the director of “Pale Moon” which was selected for the Competition section and Miki NAKATANI, the Festival Muse of 27th TIFF were also in attendance and shared their excitement toward the upcoming festival. We also showed a video message from ICHIKAWA Somegoro VII, who will perform at Special Night Event at Kabukiza Theatre.

The 27th TIFF's International Competition Jury members were also announced; the Jury members consist of Jury President James GUNN (director), John H. LEE (director), Robert LUKETIC (director), Eric KHOO (director), Debbie MCWILLIAMS (casting director) and Hiroshi SHINAGAWA (director, comedian). Please refer to TIFF official website for information of other sections Jury members.

An establishment of SAMURAI Award was also unveiled, and Takeshi KITANO and Tim BURTON are going to be the first recipients.

During the nine-day celebration, there will be daily film-related exciting events at the festival place with welcoming addresses by celebrated guests from Japan and around the world.

The 27th TIFF will be held October 23-31, 2014, at Roppongi Hills, TOHO Cinemas Nihonbashi and other venues in Tokyo.

≪Notes and Quotes from the Press Conference≫

Yasushi SHIINA - Director General, Tokyo International Film Festival(TIFF & TIFFCOM)
I would like to emphasis major objectives of the festival are to motivate people in the movie industry while strengthening brand-recognition of the TIFF among general consumers by introducing worth to watch movies. We are aiming at win-win situation that having strong name recognition of TIFF to lead growth of the movie industry and getting more audience to see movies.

Daihachi YOSHIDA (Director, “Pale Moon” from Competition section)
When I read the novel, I became interested in story angles about a woman who is indulged by a man and money that represent issues in the Japanese society. It was very lucky to have Rie MIYAZAWA the actress for the movie as she has been devoting playing at theater past 7 years. I am looking forward talking with people who visit the festival and also to capture the excitement and energy that everybody has in the world of film making.

Miki NAKATANI (Festival Muse)
I am honored to be the festival muse and would like to participate in the festival as a big movie fan as well. Films helped me out from loneliness and sadness, while giving joy, happiness, and fulfillment. I guess film has a role to sooth and heal people in their busy life, and sometimes make them escape from their reality and they can dream. Film has such a power, I believe.

Video message from ICHIKAWA Somegoro VII (Special Night Event at Kabukiza Theatre)
I will give a Kabuki performance this year, TIFF2014 presents Special Night Event at the Kabukiza Theatre. The Shakkyo is a classic and popular Kabuki dance. I play the role of a lion-like animal that is an icon of strength. It is great honor for me and for Kabuki, as well, to present Kabuki to guests from around the world at a special Kabuki theatre. Regarding the screening of Chaplin's “City Lights” at the Kabukiza Theatre, Kabuki people were impressed by “City Lights” and created a Kabuki story adopting concept of the film. I feel that this event was destined to be shown at the Kabukiza Theatre.

≪Section introductions≫

Competition - Yoshi YATABE, Programming Director
This year, we might say the common theme among the competition films is about the "people have their backs to the wall", who have been in cornered. Because in the changing society people cannot avoid the impact of such changes in the environment, so they have been in cornered in their situation and they have to escape from their precariat situation. Even though they are in different situations all the films are about such cornered people getting into the next stage. It is all about “How to live tomorrow?” That is the theme and that is the common theme among all films in the Competition section.

Asian Future & CROSSCUT ASIA #01 Thai Fascination-Kenji ISHIZAKA, Programming Director
The Asian Future section is for first or second feature films made in Asia and established last year. We increased the competition films from 8 (last year) to 10 this year, and we selected various types of movies from 10 different countries. 9 out of 10 films are World Premiere at TIFF, so we keep searching fresh films from all Asian countries and regions. These 10 films are selected from nearly 250 films in our competition, their stories are very rich and mostly based on record or memory about the past and the changes in the present. Because Asian countries are undergoing modernization and there are drastic changes in those countries.

Regarding CROSSCUT ASIA, it is the first TIFF and Japan Foundation Asia Center's collaboration series starting from this year. We choose Thailand as the first special selected country because we have not chosen one country for a series for a long time, so we wanted to revisit Thai film which has diversity from art film to horror. Many directors and actors/actresses are coming to TIFF from Thailand.

Japanese Cinema Splash - Yoshi YATABE, Programming Director
We are honored to have this section to be the introduction for young talented filmmaker from Japan. It was the great example that "FORMA" the last year's awarded title went to various film festivals from this section. We are hoping to have some titles to be expand overseas like "FORMA."

≪New initiatives of the 27th TIFF≫

SAMURAI Awards
The SAMURAI Award has been launched to commend achievements of filmmaker who continues to create groundbreaking films that carve out a path to a new era. Takeshi KITANO and Tim BURTON are the first recipients of the award. In commemoration of establishment of this award, Takeshi KITANO will appear for a talk session on October 25th.

John Lasseter speaks about the theme of “Cool Japan”
Mr. John Lasseter, the chief creative officer at Pixer, Walt Disney Animation Studios, and DisneyToon Studios talks about his favorite Japanese animation as well as Japanese culture.

World Cosplay Summit in TIFF (October 26th)
World Cosplay Summit is an annual international event taking place in Nagoya. The top cosplayers who love Japanese anime and manga will come from 22 countries/regions to this special event at TIFF.

Tokyo Cinema Cuisine (October 24th to 31st)
Five leading chefs in Japan will gather at Roppongi Hills Arena! Come and enjoy their special menus, only available at this food fest at TIFF.

Competition Lineup for the 27th Tokyo International Film Festival

Listed by Title / Director / Premiere / Production country and region.

*WP=World Premiere/ IP=International Premiere/ AP=Asian Premiere