The 39th Tokyo International Film Festival is set to open its doors from October 26 to November 4, offering a rich tapestry of cinematic experiences. According to reports from The Hollywood Reporter, the festival has now finalized its lineup, revealing the highly anticipated Gala and Animation selections, which include a blend of recent festival favorites, star-studded international productions, and high-profile Japanese animation.
Leading the 15-title Gala Selection are several notable films. Martin McDonagh’s soulful black comedy Wild Horse Nine, starring John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, and Steve Buscemi, is among the highlights. Also joining the slate is Tony Gilroy’s Behemoth!, featuring Pedro Pascal and Olivia Wilde, alongside Cristian Mungiu’s Fjord, with Sebastian Stan. Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson lead Michael Showalter’s adaptation Verity, while Jane Schoenbrun's Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma also makes the cut. The section also celebrates Asian cinema with titles like Japanese filmmaker Sabu’s Taiwan-set Arrested Memory, Wayne Wang’s Tokyo-set Diary of a Mad Old Man, Yukiko Sode’s Cannes standout All the Lovers in the Night, and Kazuya Shiraishi’s Bye Bye Love: Detective Is in the Bar.
On the animation front, TIFF's 12-title program showcases both major Japanese studio productions and innovative international works. A standout entry is Grotesqqque, an original anthology feature from director Atsushi Nishigori and CloverWorks, the acclaimed studio behind Spy x Family. Other animated highlights include Shingo Natsume’s original feature Ghost – End of Night from Madhouse, DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, and Kohei Kadowaki’s Cannes favorite We Are Aliens. The festival will also present a mini-sidebar titled 'Women Directors: Diverse Visions,' featuring Detective Conan: The Fist of Blue Sapphire, Gold Kingdom and Water Kingdom, and The Rose of Versailles.
Adding star power to the festival, two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett will be in Tokyo for multiple significant events. She will participate in a showcase devoted to the Displacement Film Fund (DFF), an initiative she co-founded to support displaced filmmakers. Five DFF-backed shorts will be screened, followed by a Q&A session with Blanchett and acclaimed Middle Eastern filmmakers Mohammad Rasoulof and Shahrbanoo Sadat. Her visit also coincides with a major honor, as Blanchett is set to receive the Praemium Imperiale, Japan’s prestigious international arts prize. Commenting on the importance of cinema, Blanchett stated, “In a world where conflict and persecution are driving displacement and division, cinematic storytelling has a vital role to play in connecting with the experiences of others.”
These newly announced titles join an already exciting program that includes the opening film Sukiyaki, the centerpiece Godzilla Minus Zero, and the closing feature Colony. The accompanying TIFFCOM market will run from October 28-30, further cementing Tokyo's role as a key hub for international film.