The 28th Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) today held the press conference to announce lineup of the all sections, jury members, recipients of SAMURAI Award, and related special events at Tower Hall, Roppongi Academyhills in Tokyo.
 

 
Following a welcoming address from Yasushi SHIINA, Director General of TIFF, programing directors introduced the whole lineup of the each section in addition to the earlier announcement of Opening film, “The Walk” (Director: Robert ZEMECKIS) and Closing film, “TERMINAL” (Director: Tetsuo SHINOHARA
 
For the Competition section, 16 films were selected from a total of 1,409 titles from 86 countries and regions. At this main section, three films are from Japan, whose directors are from different generations. Kohei OGURI (“FOUJITA”), the internationally acclaimed veteran director, Yoshihiro NAKAMURA (“The Inerasable”), one of the most active and successful director in Japan, Koji FUKADA (“Sayonara”), the up-and-coming director who won several awards in international festival circuit. The guests from each films were welcomed on stage.
 
Lineup of the Competition section
 
We also showed a video message from KATAOKA Ainosuke, who will perform at Special Night Event at Kabukiza Theatre on October 26.
 
This year’s International Competition Jury members were also announced as follows. Bryan SINGER serves as the President of Jury working with other 5 members of jury; Tran Anh HUNG, Bent HAMER, Nansun SHI, Susanne BIER, and Kazuki OMORI.
 
28th Jury members
 
The recipients of SAMURAI Award in its second year are the internationally acclaimed masters, John WOO (“The Yong Dragons”, “A Better Tomorrow”, “Broken Arrow”, “Red Cliff”, The Killer”, Hard Boiled”, “Face/Off”, “Mission: Impossible II”, and “The Crossing”) and Yoji YAMADA (“Tra-san” series, “Where Spring Comes Late”, “The Yellow Handkerchief”, “The Twilight Samurai”, “About Her Brother”, “Tokyo Family”, and “The Little House”)
 
“SAMURAI Award” Yoji Yamada and John Woo are the recipients of the award this year.
 
During the 10-day celebration, more than 200 films will be screened and there will be daily film-related exciting events at the festival venues with stage appearance, QA session and symposium by celebrated guests from all over the world.
 
The 28th TIFF will take place October 22-31, 2015 at Roppongi Hills, Shinjuku Wald 9, Shinjuku Piccadilly, TOHO Cinemas Shinjuku and other theaters in Tokyo!
 
【Expected Guests from ‘Special Screenings’ section】
Robert ZEMECKIS (Director, “The Walk”)
Anton CORBIJN (Director, “LIFE”)
Baltasar KORMAKUR (Director, “EVEREST”)
Hilary SWANK (Actress, “You’re Not You”)
Jacques PERRIN, Jacques CLUZAUD (Director, “SEASONS”)
Simon CURTIS, Helen MIRREN (Director, Actress from “WOMAN IN GOLD”)
*Announced at the press conference.
 
≪Notes and Quotes from the Press Conference≫
Yasushi SHIINA – Director General, Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF & TIFFCOM)
This year, we are honored to announce two great recipients of SAMURAI Award, the great master Yoji YAMADA and John WOO. About YAMADA, I am hesitated to give any comments on his great works which he is still actively involved in while he is turning over 80 years old. As to John WOO, he is known as an internationally successful director by his films such as “A Better Tomorrow” and “Mission Impossible Ⅱ”. The award ceremony will be held at Special Night Event at Kabukiza Theatre on October 26. We look forward to seeing you all of you in Tokyo. Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.
 
≪Guests from Competition section≫
Kohei OGURI (Director, “FOUJITA” from Competition section)
This is the first time for me to participate Tokyo International Film Festival. There is no age limits in the film industry, so I am happy to join all of you as a fresh member. The film is about a very well-known artist, Tsuguharu Foujita, who had much complexity in his life, who lived very unique life in Paris and Japan. ‘Conflict of the cultures’ is actually the topic that was featured in the film. I guess it is not the filmmakers that are going to compete for the award but jury members as they have to review and score the works. So for myself, the impressions of the jury members is something I should be very excited and hopeful about.
 
Kohei OGURI (Director, “FOUJITA” from Competition section)
This is the first time for me to participate Tokyo International Film Festival. There is no age limits in the film industry, so I am happy to join all of you as a fresh member. The film is about a very well-known artist, Tsuguharu Foujita, who had much complexity in his life, who lived very unique life in Paris and Japan. ‘Conflict of the cultures’ is actually the topic that was featured in the film. I guess it is not the filmmakers that are going to compete for the award but jury members as they have to review and score the works. So for myself, the impressions of the jury members is something I should be very excited and hopeful about.
 
≪Introductions of the sections≫
Yoshi YATABE, Programming Director of Competition section
The selection was from the latest films. Among outstanding works from all over the world, 16 films became the finalists this year. 3 of them are from Japan which directed by a veteran, hit-maker, and young generation. Entries are from various genres such as social, comedy to suspense and all have fascinating characters at their center and explore life in complex modern society. Expressing “current world” seems to be the spice or taste of the common sense of the selection.
 
Kenji ISHIZAKA, Programming Director of Asian Future section
I would like to mention 4 characteristic points of the selection. First of all, half of the films are in the world premiere status. Secondly, 5 films are directed by the active female directors. Next, as for directors, we see the new generations grown up at the different back ground in cinema is challenging and emerging. Finally, variety of content of these films: Eastern Asian films have a lot of taste of love story. South and Middle East like more social topics.
 
Kohei ANDO, Programming Advisor of JAPAN NOW section
For Japan Now section, we selected the films with high quality and created recently. In particular, the films that you can feel the current Japanese society. Also this year, we’ll focus on director Masato Harada as a feature to screen 5 works of his. It is said that “if you watch 3 films of one country you can understand the country” but we thought three was too small, so we selected five and as total we selected 11 films. We hope that not just Japanese but also overseas audience will have a chance to watch these movies to deepen your understanding of the current Japanese society.
 
［ Related Special Events at the Tokyo International Film Festival ］
-Tokyo Cinema Cuisine (October 23 – 31)
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.
more details
 
-Cinema Music Jam presented by J-WAVE (October 26 – 30)
The talented musicians from various genres will meet at the Roppongi Hills Arena for livening up both film and music funs outside the theaters. It is free for public!
more details
 
-Shinjuku Culture Festival (October 23 and 24)　
Shinjuku’s traditional celebration, Shinjuku Cultural Festival 2015, will be held again this year as one of a festival venue for the 28th TIFF on the 4th Friday and Saturday in October. Everyone visiting Shinjuku will meet current Shinjuku fashion, gourmet, and performance through the wide variety of the events for the only two days.
Official Website (Japanese)