Takeo Hisamatsu has been named festival director of the Tokyo International Film Festival. Hisamatsu takes over the top role from Tokyo fest chairman Hiroyasu Ando, effective April 14. Ando is set to step down as chairman of Asia’s biggest film festival on May 31.
Hisamatsu, who previously held the festival director role at Tokyo from March 2017 to March 2021, is a veteran of the Japanese entertainment industry. In recent years he has served as president of what is now Shochiku Broadcasting as well as deputy general manager of Warner Bros. Pictures Japan. Hisamatsu is also a successful film producer and his productions include Lee Sang-il’s Unforgiven (2013); Keishi Ohtomo’s Rurouni Kenshin (2012); Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Air Doll (2009) and Still Walking (2008); Miwa Nishikawa’s Dear Doctor (2009); Ryosuke Hashiguchi’s All Around Us (2008); and Yoji Yamada’s Love and Honor | Bushi no ichibun (2006).
Hiroyasu Ando
Courtesy of the Tokyo International Film Festival
The widely liked and respected Ando’s term as chairman of Tokyo fest began in 2019. In his time in the role, Ando oversaw the festival’s big move from Roppongi to the Hibiya-Yurakucho-Marunouchi-Ginza area of Tokyo, the reorganization of the programming structure, and the promotion of greater international exchange, such as the TIFF Lounge conversation series. Ando also shepherded the festival through the global challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent slow recovery faced by the film industry.
Ando is set to receive the prestigious French government honor of Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters (Ordre des Arts et des Lettres) in an award ceremony to be held by the French Ambassador to Japan on April 15.
“During my seven-year tenure as chairman of TIFF, I have focused on addressing four key challenges: 1. Deepening international exchange through cinema and people. 2. Addressing social issues through the platform of film. 3. Nurturing talent to shape the future. 4. Strengthening collaborative relationships with the local host community,” Ando said in a statment. “I believe that we have achieved tangible success, reflected in the growth of our audience numbers, revenues, and number of international guests. However, TIFF is still a work in progress and therefore must continue to strive for even greater heights.I sincerely appreciate your continued support and cooperation under the festival’s new leadership.”
Hisamatsu said in a statement, “After five years since my last appointment with the Tokyo International Film Festival, it is a great honor to once again be given the opportunity to shoulder the significant responsibility of festival director. During my previous tenure, I championed the vision of ‘Entertainment and Art in Symmetry.’ Through a diverse lineup of films and events, we aimed to create a festival filled with a sense of celebration, which ultimately contributed to an increase in attendance.
Hisamatsu added, “The Japanese government has now positioned the content business as a vital growth sector and is strengthening its support. Given this opportunity, I will commit to ensuring that TIFF plays a key role in tboth deepening cultural value and promoting the commercial development of the film industry. I sincerely appreciate your continued support and cooperation.”
The 39th edition of the Tokyo film fest will open on Oct. 26, and run for 10 days until Nov. 4. The associated film market, TIFFCOM, will open its doors to attendees on Oct. 28 and run through Oct. 30. The festival will once again take place in the Hibiya-Yurakucho-MarunouchiGinza area of Japan‘s capital. TIFFCOM will again be located in the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center Hamamatsucho-Kan.
UNIJAPAN, the organizers of the festival, began a call for submissions on April 7 and is now open through July 7 via the festival website.
