Tokyo 2005

Abstract

TOKYO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2005 Credit festival chairman Tsuguhiko Kadokawa with the remarkable revival of the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF). Three years ago, when the Kadokawa Group (the "Japanese Bertelsmann" in some literary circles) expanded its publications-and-media base to rejuvenate a then moribund national film event, Tsuguhiko Kadokawa, together with Yusuke Okada (executive committee chairman), pulled out all the stops to assure that TIFF would become a key international festival on both the world and Asian film scenes. "I like to think of the Tokyo International Film Festival as the mirror of the world cinema industry," Kadokawa stated in his address penned for the festival catalogue. And, indeed, the 18th Tokyo International Film Festival (22-30 October 2005) was one for the books. A balanced slate of 15 art and entertainment films competed for the renamed Tokyo Sakura (Cherry Tree) Grand Prix, with its US$100,000 purse going to the...