Tokyo Jury Chief Questions New A-List Value

The 39th Tokyo International Film Festival continues its run through Nov. 4, operating under a new formal classification system that has drawn mixed reactions from its competition jury. On Tuesday, the festival's jurors held a press conference to discuss the impact of the International Federation of Film Producers Associations, or FIAPF, designating Tokyo as one of 17 official A-list events.

FIAPF replaced its previous four-category accreditation structure in March. The new system groups 17 festivals into a single A-list category, a term the industry had used informally for years. The list includes Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Toronto, Busan, Shanghai, Cairo, and Tokyo. Busan and Toronto were added to this tier for the first time.

Rolf de Heer, the Australian filmmaker leading the Tokyo competition jury, stated that the formal label does not alter the festival's standing. Known for directing "Bad Boy Bubby" and "Ten Canoes," de Heer noted that attendees have long treated Tokyo as an A-list event.

"I think Tokyo has always been considered one of those festivals by most people who attend festivals. Tokyo was effectively an A festival. And so in that sense, I don't think it makes a lot of difference," de Heer said. He acknowledged that the status might assist in securing high-quality films, but he maintained that the core nature of the event remains unchanged.

Korean producer Oh Jungwan, who founded Bom Film Productions, offered a different perspective. She described herself as not being a "film festival person" and suggested that the label is less relevant to general audiences. "So I don't know what is A-list or not. So maybe probably A-list means good, so but as an audience, we're not going to the festival because of their A-list or not. We just go to watch film and enjoy the feeling, the festival feeling," Oh said.

When a journalist pressed the group to critique the ranking system, de Heer offered a final assessment on the utility of the label. "It matters a great deal to some people, and not at all to others. And that is as it should be," he said. The other members of the five-member panel did not weigh in on the classification debate.

The jury, which includes Japanese actor Watanabe Makiko, producer Alex Lo, and colorist Yov Moor, is currently reviewing 15 competition titles to select the winner of the Tokyo Grand Prix. Lo, whose film "Heads or Tails?" won the best director award at the previous year's festival, noted that producers in Europe and the United States are increasingly seeking co-production opportunities. He cited a lack of local government support as a primary driver for these international partnerships.

De Heer also addressed the viability of co-productions between Australia and Japan. He argued that purely financial arrangements, common in Europe, do not always work for the two Asian markets. "It makes no sense for a Japanese film to shoot in Australia, it makes no sense for an Australian film to shoot in Japan. Europe is very good at doing co-productions only on a financial basis, really. Australia is not so good at that," he said. He added that successful projects require a natural narrative justification for shooting in both locations.

Regarding the process for selecting a winner from a divided panel, de Heer expressed confidence in his colleagues. "I'm with four other very reasonable people, and I'm sure we can find a way through that we don't end up with some sort of lesser compromised film, but a really interesting film that maybe some of us don't like," he said. Oh, serving as a Tokyo juror for the second time, recalled a previous seven-hour argument for a film she favored. She joked that she hopes to avoid a similar duration of debate with de Heer this year.

The festival will conclude its competitive screening slate on Nov. 4, with the final awards to be announced at a closing ceremony. The jury will meet privately to finalize their selection from the 15 nominated films.