As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, the festival will commence with Zeze Takahisa’s music drama Sukiyaki and conclude with Yeon Sang-ho’s zombie action horror film Colony. Marking a special centerpiece screening will be Takashi Yamazaki’s acclaimed Godzilla Minus Zero, setting a high bar for the diverse program.
Beyond the opening and closing galas, TIFF's schedule is packed with an array of compelling films. Notable gala screenings include Tony Gilroy’s Behemoth!, Jane Schoenbrun’s Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, Cristian Mungiu’s Fjord, and Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine. Japanese cinema is well-represented in this section with films like Hiroshi Ando’s A Bouquet of Light for You and Yukiko Sode’s All the Lovers in the Night.
The main competition will see 15 films vying for the prestigious Tokyo Grand Prix/Governor of Tokyo Award. Among the world premieres are Akira Ikeda’s The Canary’s Lullaby, Qiu Jiongjiong’s Fuxi: Four Tales of Feasting, and Yukiko Mishima’s Two Cigarettes, Three Nights. Asian premieres include Rubaiyat Hossain’s The Difficult Bride and Teodora Ana Mihai’s Heysel 85. This year’s competition notably features four female filmmakers—Rubaiyat Hossain, Teodora Ana Mihai, Yukiko Mishima, and Jelena Maksimović—and Japan leads with three entries, underscoring its significant presence.
Animation continues to be a strong pillar of the festival, with new projects from talents like Masanao Kawajiri and Shingo Natsume. The animation section will also host Japanese premieres for international titles such as Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado’s Forgotten Island and Louis Clichy’s Iron Boy, showcasing a blend of domestic and global animated storytelling.
A highlight for cinephiles will be a comprehensive retrospective dedicated to Japanese master filmmaker Kenji Mizoguchi. Commemorating the 70th anniversary of his passing, the TIFF/NFAJ Classics collaboration will present 13 of his films across 12 programs, all with English subtitles. The focus will be on works that have undergone recent digital restoration, offering audiences a chance to experience Mizoguchi's artistry in renewed clarity. Featured titles include classics like Osaka Elegy, Ugetsu, and Sansho the Bailiff.
Further enriching the festival’s offerings are dedicated sections such as Asian Future, Nippon Cinema Now, Crosscut Asia+, World Focus, and Women’s Empowerment, each designed to highlight specific regional talents, emerging voices, and thematic explorations. This comprehensive program ensures that the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival will be a vital platform for diverse cinematic experiences and discussions.