Two Japanese Titles to Compete With 14 Others at Tokyo Film Festival

Two Japanese titles will compete with 14 others in the Tokyo International Film Festival, starting on October 25. The two Japanese movies – Another World and Just Only Love -- “represent inspired film making”, said the Competition programmer, Yoshi Yatabe.

Helmed by Junji Sakamoto, Another World, is a compelling drama that redesigns the lives of three old friends and a married couple.

Obsessive sexual affection forms the main theme in Just Only Love, directed by Rikiya Imaizumi. It has been adapted from a novel by a woman writer, Mitsuyo Kakuta.

The 16 films in Competition were picked from the 1829 titles submitted, and are from 109 countries. There is no Indian work in this section. As earlier reported, three Indian entries – Padman, Dangal and Rajiv Menon's Madras Beats – will play in different sections of the Festival – which in its earlier years had screened works like Lipstick Under My Burkha, S Durga and Bioscope.

This year's Competition draws a fine balance among Europe, Middle East and Asia, though Hollywood and American independent cinema are conspicuously absent. Some of the highlights in this category are Sameh Zoabi's Tel -Aviv on Fire, Emir Baigazin's The River, Veit Helmer's The Bra, Ramin Matin's Siren's Call, Fruit Chan's Three Husbands and Ralph Fiennes' The White Crow.

Filipino director Brillante Mendoza will head the Competition jury that will include producer Bryan Burk (Mission Impossible – Rogue Nation), director Stanley Kwan, actress Taraneh Alidoosti and actress Kaho Minami.

The Festival will open with Bradley Cooper's A Star Is Born, with Lady Gaga essaying the title role, and will close on November 3 with Godzilla: The Planet Eater, the third and final part in the animated “Godzilla” trilogy.

(Author, commentator and movie critic Gautaman Bhaskaran has been covering the Tokyo International Film Festival for several years)

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