Featuring Canadian Master David Cronenberg and a Retrospective of 1960s Japanese Cinema

This year marks the 15th anniversary of Tokyo FILMeX. The festival, which has always served as a bridge between heartfelt works and groundbreaking films and their audiences, opens with its usual splendor.

The competition section, presided over by director Jia Zhangke, whose "A Touch of Sin" opened last year's FILMeX, brings together a diverse array of fresh international talent. Nine films, including the directorial feature debuts of talented emerging filmmakers and works from "Talents Tokyo," a film talent development project organized by Tokyo FILMeX and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, will be screened to compete for the Best Picture Award.


In the Special Invitation section, which introduces new works from directors active on the world stage, "Fires on the Plain," a film adaptation of Shohei Ooka's novel by director Shinya Tsukamoto, which just had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, has been selected as the opening film. Additionally, films such as Kim Ki-duk's "One on One (original title)" and Tsai Ming-liang's "Journey to the West" will be screened.

The Special Programs section this year focuses on the acclaimed Canadian auteur David Cronenberg, whose vibrant creativity and originality have captivated audiences since his breakthrough in the 1980s. Two of his early independent films, "Stereo" and "Crimes of the Future," made during his student years when his talent first blossomed, will be presented. Furthermore, his latest work, "Maps to the Stars," has been chosen as the closing film.


The festival also features a special program on Japanese cinema of the 1960s, a period gaining increasing attention in recent years, screening three films including Nagisa Oshima's "Cruel Story of Youth," bringing the fervor of that era back to life. To commemorate the 15th anniversary of Tokyo FILMeX, a collection of reviews by festival staff, originally serialized in the magazine "SAPIO," has been compiled into a book titled "Understanding the World Through These Films: A Worldwide Map of Directors Stimulating the Present."

Tokyo FILMeX once again boasts a rich lineup that promises to exceed expectations. We look forward to discovering new filmmakers and cinematic experiences.

The 15th Tokyo FILMeX
Dates: Saturday, November 22 - Sunday, November 30
Venues: Yurakucho Asahi Hall, TOHO Cinemas Nihonbashi, and others
Tickets: Same-day general admission ¥1800, same-day student ¥1300
Inquiries: Hello Dial Info.
Tel. 03-5777-8600
http://filmex.net/2014/
*For screenings where advance tickets are sold out, same-day tickets will generally not be available.
However, tickets may be available if cancellations occur.
Please check the official website for details.

<Competition>
• "The Way He Looks" directed by Afonso Cruz
• "DEEP" directed by Naji Abu Nowar
• "A Cubic Meters of Love" directed by Jamshed Mahmudi
• "Prince" directed by Mahmoud Baharloo
• "Crocodile" directed by Francis Xavier Pasion
• "Shadow Days" directed by Zhao Dayong
• "Alive" directed by Park Jung-bum
• "Girl at the Door (working title)" directed by Jang Jury
• "Dali Maru San" directed by Izumi Takahashi

<Special Invitation>
• Opening Film
"Fires on the Plain" directed by Shinya Tsukamoto
• Closing Film
"Maps to the Stars" directed by David Cronenberg
• "Cilì" directed by Amos Gitai
• "The President" directed by Mohsen Makhmalbaf
• "Journey to the West" directed by Tsai Ming-liang
• "One on One (original title)" directed by Kim Ki-duk
• "SHARING" directed by Makoto Shinohara
• "Sayonara Kabukicho" directed by Ryuichi Hiroki
• "Gift (working title)" directed by Linda Hoagland
• "Five Minutes to Tomorrow" directed by Isao Yukisada

<Special Program: 1960s - A Time of Destruction and Creation>

• "Cruel Story of Youth" directed by Nagisa Oshima
• "Only She Knows" directed by Osamu Takahashi
• "Bushido Zankoku Monogatari" directed by Eitaro Morikawa

<Special Program: David Cronenberg>

• "Stereo"
• "Crimes of the Future"