The festival
Organized by the non-profit UNIJAPAN, TIFF is the only Japanese film festival accredited by FIAPF as a competitive feature-film event. It is regarded as one of Asia’s premier festivals and a leading platform for world cinema in Japan. It was held biennially from 1985 to 1991 and annually thereafter.
Worth knowing
TIFF screens roughly 200 films and draws large public audiences over its run; its main events have in recent years centered on the Roppongi Hills development and the Hibiya–Yurakucho district.
How to attend
The festival is open to the public, with tickets for individual screenings sold online and at venue box offices, generally going on sale shortly before it begins.
Awards & submissions
Organized by the non-profit UNIJAPAN, TIFF is the only Japanese festival accredited by FIAPF as a competitive feature event. Its International Competition jury awards the top Tokyo Grand Prix along with a Special Jury Prize and prizes for direction, acting and artistic contribution, chosen from films that have not yet been released in Japan. The festival screens roughly 200 titles and draws large public audiences over its run, with recent editions centred on the Hibiya–Yurakucho district and Roppongi Hills. It takes place from late October into early November. Filmmakers enter the competition through the official TIFF entry form — recent editions required an online screener with English subtitles and set a July deadline — with rules posted on the festival website; tickets for individual screenings go on sale to the public shortly before it begins.
Official site →Dates and programs change year to year — check the official site for the current edition.