Tokyo Film Festival Weighs Global Strategy Ahead of 40th Anniversary

The Tokyo International Film Festival is preparing for a major strategic review as it approaches a milestone edition.

Festival director Hisamatsu Takeo said TIFF will assess its place on the international festival circuit after the current 39th edition concludes. The review will inform plans for next year’s 40th festival and could shape the event well beyond that anniversary.

“I believe the direction we establish through that process will also help define TIFF’s course for the next decade, leading up to its 50th edition,” Hisamatsu told Variety.

The reassessment comes as TIFF expands its program. The 39th edition includes 204 films, compared with 184 last year, and Hisamatsu said the current festival already reflects the direction its organizers have started pursuing.

Tokyo’s Place on the Festival Map

A central question is how TIFF should distinguish itself in Asia and globally. Hisamatsu acknowledged a competitive dynamic with the Busan International Film Festival, citing the two events’ geographic proximity and closely scheduled dates.

“I think the time has come to re-examine where TIFF should position itself, both within Asia and within the world,” he said.

Part of that positioning may involve making Tokyo itself more visible within the festival’s identity. Hisamatsu pointed to Cannes and Venice as festivals whose appeal is closely connected to their host cities.

He described Tokyo as a city where tradition and modernity exist side by side, with mainstream culture crossing paths with subculture. Those characteristics, he said, should be showcased more forcefully to an international audience.

That approach fits Hisamatsu’s belief that international festivals still need strong connections to their home countries and cultures. He argued that a completely global outlook could diminish the individual character of such events, making what he called a “glocal” perspective increasingly important.

More Support for Japanese Filmmakers

The proposed evolution extends beyond programming. TIFF is organized by UniJapan, which also operates the TIFFCOM market and international promotion and support programs. Hisamatsu, who is also UniJapan’s executive director, wants those three operations to coordinate more closely and provide greater support to filmmakers and producers.

Because festivals generally do not own the rights to the films they screen, the future of a title after its Tokyo appearance remains largely in the hands of rights holders and distributors. Hisamatsu nevertheless wants UniJapan to take a larger role in helping Japanese films move forward after screening or winning awards at TIFF.

Two initiatives at the 39th edition demonstrate that ambition. Nippon Cinema Now, TIFF’s showcase for Japanese films, is becoming a competitive section for the first time and will introduce two awards.

The festival has also established TIFF Work-in-Progress, known as TIFF-WIP. The program connects Japanese films that are still in production with international festivals and industry representatives. Its goals include building the projects’ profiles outside Japan and creating opportunities for overseas distribution.

Hisamatsu sees festivals as serving two complementary purposes: presenting international cinema to domestic audiences and helping locally produced films reach other countries. He believes there is currently a strong case for expanding the international presence of Japanese titles.

Japan was named Country of Honor at this year’s Cannes Film Market, while more than 30 Japanese films screened at the Busan International Film Festival. Hisamatsu also pointed to the continuing arrival of new talent and a government policy supporting the wider content industry, rather than film alone.

Big-Ticket Selections Add Mainstream Energy

The 39th edition’s most prominent slots lean toward mainstream entertainment, marking a contrast with the arthouse programming for which TIFF is better known.

Zeze Takahisa’s “Sukiyaki” is the opening film, while Yamazaki Takashi’s “Godzilla Minus Zero” occupies the centerpiece slot. “Colony,” from “Train to Busan” director Yeon Sang-ho, will close the festival.

Hisamatsu said the three selections should not be interpreted as an intentional attempt to reposition TIFF around a more commercial identity. Each film was chosen on its own merits from the candidates under consideration, he said, rather than as part of a planned change in direction.

ShowBiz Take

TIFF’s approaching 40th edition gives the festival a clear moment to decide what kind of international role it wants to play. The significance of the review is not simply ceremonial: Hisamatsu is tying it to the festival’s direction through its 50th edition.

The expansion to 204 films, the transformation of Nippon Cinema Now into a competition and the launch of TIFF-WIP show that the discussion is already producing practical changes. Together, those moves place greater emphasis on helping Japanese cinema travel internationally while preserving a festival identity rooted in Tokyo’s own cultural contrasts.

What Happens Next?

Once the 39th edition ends, TIFF will review the festival and reassess its international position. The resulting strategy is expected to guide preparations for the 40th edition next year and establish priorities for the decade leading to TIFF’s 50th.