The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) is set to break new ground with the introduction of its inaugural Women’s Empowerment section. This addition aims to spotlight the achievements of female filmmakers and stories centered on women, marking a significant step towards gender equality within the festival’s framework.
Historically, Asian film festivals have lagged behind their North American and European counterparts in embracing diversity and inclusion. However, in 2021, TIFF made a bold move by becoming the first Asian film festival to align with Collectif 50/50, an international initiative advocating for gender parity in the film industry. Building on this commitment, the Women’s Empowerment section is poised to advance TIFF’s efforts further, celebrating female-driven narratives and pushing the boundaries of contemporary cinema.
The new section, co-hosted by the Tokyo Metropolitan government, will showcase films directed by women or focused on female-centric stories. Seven films will be featured in its debut year. Andrijana Cvetkovikj, who previously served as a jury member for the Amazon Prime Video Take One Award at TIFF, will lead this initiative as the senior programmer. As the first Macedonian ambassador to Japan, Cvetkovikj brings a unique perspective to the role.
Beyond the film screenings, the Women’s Empowerment section will also include a symposium and several talk sessions, providing a platform for dialogue and discussion on gender issues in the film industry.
In parallel, TIFF will continue its Nippon Cinema Now strand, which serves as an introduction to recent Japanese films for an international audience. This year, the focus is on the works of director Irie Yu. Five of his films, spanning from 2009’s “8000 Miles: SR Saitama’s Rapper” to his latest release, “A Girl Named Ann,” will be featured.
The festival is scheduled to run from October 28 to November 6, with the TIFFCOM rights market taking place from October 30 to November 1, 2024. The complete lineup of films is expected to be announced by the end of September.