TOKYO FILM FESTIVAL CELEBRATES WOMEN AND WORLD CINEMA

The 38th Tokyo International Film Festival hails women's stories and creative evolution.

- MURTAZA ALI KHAN

TIFF Chairman Ando Hiroyasu

As autumn paints the Japanese capital in gold and crimson, the city readies itself for a grand cinematic celebration. From October 27 to November 5, 2025, the 38th Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) will unfurl across the blue skies — transforming Tokyo into a bustling hub of screenings, panels, lounges, markets, and encounters that bridge the globe.

Under the visionary leadership of Chairman Ando Hiroyasu and Programming Director Ichiyama Shozo, this year's edition signals more than continuity; it's a declaration of intent. With its emphasis on global exchange, female empowerment, and cross-cultural collaboration, TIFF is cementing its place as Asia's most dynamic festival - one that mirrors both Tokyo's cosmopolitan pulse and Japan's creative evolution.

And for Indian filmmakers and cinephiles, the excitement runs deeper. In recent years, films such as Lipstick Under My Burkha, Vikram Vedha, Bioscope-wala, Churuli, and Sumo Didi have found appreciative audiences in Tokyo. Undeniably, the bridge between Indian cinema and Japan is growing sturdier than ever.

This year the festival opens with Sakamoto Junji's Climbing for Life and closes with Chloé Zhao's Hamnet - two thematically aligned yet stylistically distinct films that set the emotional tone of the event.

Programming Director Ichiyama Shozo explains the rationale: "Climbing for Life chronicles the inspiring story of a real-life female mountaineer and her devoted family. With a remarkable lead performance by Yoshinaga Sayuri and meticulous direction by director Sakamoto Junji, this film earns a place as one of the year's most touching films. I am confident that its universal themes will deeply move audiences across the globe."