Tokyo International Film Festival

THE SOCIAL NETWORK and THE TOWN to Bookend 23rd Tokyo International Film Festival

by John de Perczel    Posted: September 21st, 2010 at 7:49 am

More announcements today from Tokyo: two Hollywood films will bookend the festival, which will open with director David Fincher’s The Social Network and close with Ben Affleck’s The Town. Both films are slated for a Japanese release in 2011. Ten films have also been announced for the World Cinema segment of the festival, including Philip Seymour Hoffman’s directorial debut Jack Goes Boating, and Roman Polanski’s Ghost Writer. Visionary French director Claude Chabrol, who passed away earlier this month, will be honored posthumously with a screening of his 2009 film Inspector Bellamy. Look for more news as the Tokyo International Film Festival swings into high gear in advance of its October 23rd opening. Full press release after the jump.

Films Announced for Tokyo International Film Festival

by John de Perczel    Posted: September 17th, 2010 at 11:32 pm

As Toronto winds down, that other TIFF, the Tokyo International Film Festival, is prepping for its trip down the red carpet next month. Today, they announced eight new films for the competition section of the festival, including films from Romania, Iran, and Israel. Stand-outs include Beautiful Boy by American first-time writer-director Shawn Ku, which also screened at Toronto, and Rowan Joffe’s UK crime-thriller Brighton Rock. This brings the total to 12 of 15 films for the competition section of the fest; the full list is slated to be announced at the end of the month. The Tokyo International Film Festival kicks off October 23rd. Hit the jump for the full press release and Beautiful Boy trailer.

Tokyo International Film Festival to Screen “Nearly 30 Minutes” of TRON: LEGACY

by Jason Barr    Posted: September 9th, 2010 at 1:44 pm

It’s times like these I wish I lived in Tokyo.  Sure, I’d be woefully inept in most things pertaining to culture and language.  On the bright side, though, I’d get to see a large chunk of footage from Tron: Legacy almost two months ahead of its release.  That’s because [per Variety] Disney will be unveiling “nearly 30 minutes” of footage from the film at the upcoming 23rd Tokyo International Film Festival.  For those of you who are a little closer to the action, the festival begins Saturday, October 23rd and runs through Sunday, October 31st.  The Tron: Legacy footage will be unveiled on opening night.

During last year’s festival, Fox provided a similar unveiling of Avatar which reportedly worked out in their favor as the film grossed around $180 million in the Japan box office.  While Disney would undoubtedly welcome that type of international success, unlike Avatar, Tron: Legacy will only be opening to 3D screens in Japan.  Tron: Legacy opens in 3D on December 17th.

Tokyo International Film Festival Wrap-up

by David Corbin    Posted: October 25th, 2009 at 7:14 pm

The Tokyo International Film Festival closed today with a screening of “Cranky Grandfather ‘s Flying House.” After the Japanese premiere of Pixar’s “Up” was over it was time for the awards. Similarly to the opening events, the closing ceremony was efficient and to the point. No drawn out speeches, stilted jokes or time wasted. Sadly, however, there was no Hugh Jackman either. And while the absence of the sexiest Aussie this side of Naomi Watts was keenly felt, the awards went off with out a hitch. Highlight of the night-the winning film in the environmentally themed competition winning a Green Globe. And said enviro-competition being sponsored by a car company, Toyota. For the full awards rundown and a mini-review of the Tokyo Sakura Grand Prix winning film hit the jump.

Reviews of THE COVE AND OCEANS – Tokyo International Film Festival

by David Corbin    Posted: October 19th, 2009 at 9:32 am

“Oceans” and “The Cove” took decidedly different paths on their way to being screened at the 2009 Tokyo International Film Festival (Here’s my first article on the Fest). “Oceans,” from French directors Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud, a film which is at turns a breathtaking nature documentary and an exhortation to protect the beauty and majesty of the sea, was a natural choice to open the world’s only environmentally minded film festival. “The Cove,” on the other hand, almost did not make the cut despite its previous festival successes, including the Audience Award at Sundance. The film, directed by famed National Geographic photographer Louie Psihoyos, also stresses ecological responsibility but does so by exposing the shady slaughter of dolphins by fisherman in the Japanese fishing town of Taiji. Hit the jump to explore the deep blue.

Live from the Green Carpet: COLLIDER Goes to the Tokyo International Film Festival

by David Corbin    Posted: October 18th, 2009 at 3:53 pm

The green carpet iss hard to miss. Last year, in a deviation from traditional protocol, the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF), became the first film festival in the world to make ecology awareness its major theme. After an overwhelmingly positive response to the unrolling of the green carpet, TIFF’s chairman, Tatsumi Yoda, decided to do it again this year. With the environmentally conscious slogan of “Action! for Earth,” the 22^nd annual TIFF began this past Saturday in Roppongi, one of Tokyo’s most upscale and cosmopolitan districts. Over the next week Collider will be providing an exclusive, inside look into the festival as well as movie reviews and awards announcements. Hit the jump! for Earth.

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