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Tokyo film festival opens in the rain: stars, soft power and Godzilla

The 39th Tokyo International Film Festival opened on Monday evening with a rain-soaked red carpet in the city's Hibiya district. The Hollywood Reporter says stars including Shōgun actor Tadanobu Asano, Junichi Okada and Mei Nagano walked under umbrellas, and that the festival runs from October 26 to November 4 with 204 films from 112 countries and regions, 35 of them world premieres.

The opening had a political note. In a video message, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi spoke about cinema connecting cultures and her government's goal of raising overseas sales of Japanese content to 20 trillion yen ($130 billion) by 2033, THR reports. The industry minister pointed to Godzilla Minus Zero, which screens as the centrepiece film on November 1.

“Film has the power to connect people across countries and cultures.” — Sanae Takaichi, via The Hollywood Reporter

Deadline interviewed festival director Takeo Hisamatsu, who has returned to the post. He wants more glamour ahead of next year's 40th edition, and wants the festival to work as a launchpad for international films in Japan. The Japan Times guide lists the opening film, Takahisa Zeze's “Sukiyaki”, about the story behind the 1961 hit song, and the closing film, Korean director Yeon Sang-ho's “Colony”.

How each outlet framed it

• The Hollywood Reporter — the red carpet, the government's soft-power numbers, and Academy CEO Bill Kramer's message: “Go to the cinema.”
• Deadline — the festival's strategy: mixing blockbusters and arthouse films.
• The Japan Times — a practical guide for local film fans, plus a preview of Japanese films from golden-age classics to new indies.

Where the numbers differ: The Japan Times gave “more than 200 films”; THR's count is 204. Australian director Rolf de Heer heads the main competition jury.