Tokyo Film Festival to Reassess Its Global Standing Ahead of 40th Edition, Says Director Hisamatsu Takeo

Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) plans to review its 39th edition and reassess its position in the global circuit ahead of its 40th anniversary next year, director Hisamatsu Takeo said. He told Variety the outcome could shape TIFF’s direction for the coming decade leading to the 50th edition. This year’s lineup has expanded to 204 films, up from 184 last year. Hisamatsu described a competitive relationship with the Busan IFF and said TIFF should re-examine how it positions itself within Asia and worldwide. TIFF is run by UniJapan, which also oversees TIFFCOM and industry promotion programs, and Hisamatsu wants closer coordination across these arms to better support Japanese films after prizes.