By Mark Schilling
"There are too many Japanese films in the Tokyo Film Festival this year," a local
English-language newspaper editor told Screen International recently. "How can they it
an international festival if it's mostly a showcase for the Japanese film industry." He has a
point: Of the fifteen films entered in the main competition, only three are Japanese, but of
the twenty Special Screenings, eight are -- nearly half.
Also, in addition to the eight films in the Nippon Cinema Classic and the four in the
Mainichi Film Awards Masterpieces sidebar, there are eight more by contemporary
Japanese directors in a new section: Japanese Eyes. The winning film and talent (director,
actor, or producer) each gets a Y1 million ($9,174) prize.
Not to forget the two TIFF-sponsored markets with dozens of Japanese films on offer, as
well as the Tokyo International Fantastic Film Festival, the Tokyo Anime Film Festival
and special programs for director Yoshimitsu Morita, the pop group SMAP and the new
international version of the original Godzilla.
A decade or so ago, the thought of such an abundance or, if you agree with the JT editor,
imbalance would have been absurd. Everyone knew the Japanese film industry was fading
into the twilight, and that, if the TIFF hoped to attract international attention, it needed to
focus on hotter cinemas in Asia and elsewhere, scheduling just enough of the local
product to please distributors and save face.
The turn around is real, with more Japanese films not only filling local theatres but
landing overseas distribution and remake deals than any time in history. This month two
Hollywood remakes of Japanese films -- The Grudge and Shall We Dance? open wide in
the US -- and more are on the way. But is the editor's complaint of a TIFF over-kill
justified? Ask this correspondent on October 31 after he has finished judging the
Japanese Eyes entries is celebrating either exciting new talents -- or the end of an ordeal.
