.png){kind=logo}
Sign up to get our news digest — delivered directly to your inbox twice a week.
The Tokyo International Film Festival is underway, and animation has a prominent place at its 39th edition. With screenings running through November 4 and the industry market, TIFFCOM, opening today, we’ve gathered our coverage of the films, filmmakers, and industry conversations to follow.
We published an interview with the festival’s animation programming advisor, Ryota Fujitsu, about bringing international animation to Japanese audiences and giving original Japanese features a platform to find viewers. This year’s lineup also marks a festival first: Sun Xun’s Magic Atlas, handcrafted over a decade, is the first animated feature selected for Tokyo’s main competition.
Elsewhere in the program, Shingo Natsume’s Ghost – End of Night joins films including Cherry & Virgin, Grotesqqque, and We Are Aliens. Upcoming symposium sessions will bring filmmakers together to discuss their craft, inspirations, and career paths, including a conversation with directors Chika Nagaoka, Kotono Watanabe, and Ai Yoshimura.
On the industry side, TIFFCOM is examining anime’s overseas growth, international co-production, and the expanding market for Japanese IP. Speakers include Taiki Sakurai, Ilan Urroz, and Ervin Han. We also revisit our interview with Sakurai about launching Salamander Pictures and pursuing original anime through its first short, 20001 An Earth Odyssey.
Check out these stories and more at cartoonbrew.com.
