37th Jury

Tony Leung

Actor

Born in 1962, Tony Leung is one of Hong Kong's leading actors. After appearing in TV dramas, Leung appeared in Hou Hsiao-hsien's A City of Sadness in 1989, and his performance as well as the film were highly acclaimed. Since then, he has worked with renowned directors including Wong Kar-wai for In the Mood for Love (2000), Zhang Yimou for Hero (2002), Andrew Lau for the Infernal Affairs series (2002-2003), and John Woo for Red Cliff (2008). In 2023, he received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 80th Venice Film Festival.

Message

I am immensely honoured to be on the jury team at TIFF this year. Japan is close to my heart in more ways than one and to be involved in celebrating film in this way is a big deal for me. From the age of 12, growing up in Hong Kong, I remember going to see all the classic Japanese movies from that time. These exciting trips to the cinema were the start of a great love affair between Japanese film, people and its culture for me, that has just grown and grown. I’m already expecting the festival to be full of surprises and a lot of fun to preside over, I’m sure. What I hope is that it will be a bit of an adventure, with an audacious line up of quality films. I just, ‘feel’, when it comes to judging, trusting fellow jurors’ feelings as well as my own will make a positive contribution to the selection process.

Enyedi Ildikó

Director

Enyedi Ildikó, multiple award winner and Oscar-nominated film director, started her career as a concept and media artist. She was a member of the art group Indigo and the Balázs Béla Studio, the only independent film studio in Eastern Europe before 1989. She later turned to feature film directing and scriptwriting, and wrote and directed six features and several shorts. With these works, she has won more than 50 international prizes. Her directorial debut, My 20th Century (1989), was chosen as one of the 12 Best Hungarian Films of All Time and selected among the 10 best films of the year by The New York Times. In addition to prizes awarded to her as a filmmaker, she has also received recognition as a scriptwriter (as winner of the Grand Prize of the Hartley Merrill International Screenwriting Prize). She lectures at European masterclasses (Switzerland, Poland) and was a lecturer of film directing at the University of Film and Theatrical Arts in Budapest. After the university was deprived of its academic autonomy, she became a founding member of the FreeSzFE, an independent creative hub, an association for learning and teaching. She has been a member of the main juries at the Berlin, Venice, Moscow and San Sebastian Film Festivals (among others). She was awarded the Béla Balázs Award and the Merited Artist Prizes, and has received the Republic President’s Order of Merit Cross. She is a member of the European and the American Film Academy. A mother of two, she lives in Budapest.

Message

As a rather shy person who feels awkward in many social situations but is longing for meaningful human contacts, being in a jury is always an exceptional, very intense experience. This is not a field for small talk. Jury work is a series of unusually deep and revealing meetings. Meetings with my fellow jury members while passionately discussing what we see, and meeting – through their films – with those filmmakers whose inner drive, imagination, and years-long efforts are there, in front of us, on the silver screen. I am deeply thankful for these memorable occasions. Now, looking forward to this special experience at the Tokyo International Film Festival, I also hope to connect with the amazing Japanese film community that I admire from afar but with great respect and curiosity.

Hashimoto Ai

Actress

Born in Kumamoto prefecture in 1996, Hashimoto Ai first gained major attention with Nakashima Tetsuya’s Confessions (2010). She was awarded the Kinema Junpo Best New Actress Award and the Japan Academy Film Prize Newcomer of the Year for her performance in Yoshida Daihachi’s The Kirishima Thing (2012). In 2013, she appeared in the NHK television series “Amachan,” gaining recognition across a wide range of age groups. In 2015, she participated for the first time in the Berlin International Film Festival with Mori Junichi’s Little Forest: Summer & Autumn (2014) and Matsui Daigo’s Wonderful World End (2015), in both of which she had starring roles. Hashimoto’s career spans a variety of fields beyond film, including television series, animation, and theater. Her latest works include Happiness (2024) directed by Shinohara Tetsuo and Announcer-tachi no Senso (2024) by Ichiki Masae.

Message

I never imagined that the day would come when I would serve as a jury member at the Tokyo International Film Festival. The responsibility of influencing someone's life is quite frightening. However, I hope to approach each film with sincerity, engage with it earnestly, and fully immerse myself in the cinematic experience. While it is nerve-wracking to share this role with renowned actors and directors from around the world, I want to cherish this once-in-a-lifetime experience and keep it etched in my heart.

Chiara Mastroianni

Actress

Chiara Mastroianni made her film debut with My Favorite Season, directed by André Téchiné in 1993. Over the years, she has worked with filmmakers such as Xavier Beauvois, Arnaud Desplechin, Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, Marjane Satrapi, Claire Denis, Benoît Jacquot, Alice Winocour and international directors like Robert Altman, Manoel de Oliveira, Raoul Ruiz, Gregg Araki, Mike Figgis, Francesca Comencini, among others. In 2007, Mastroianni first worked with Christophe Honoré in Love Songs, and from 2008 through 2019, she acted under his direction six more times. Honoré’s On a Magical Night (2019) earned her the Best Performance Award in the Un Certain Regard section at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival in 2019. In theater, "Le Ciel de Nantes" continues their long collaboration but also marks a new venture as it is her first appearance on stage. She was recently seen in Scott Frank's TV series "Mr. Spade" (2024) with Clive Owen, as well as in the film Eureka (2023), directed by Lisandro Alonso. Her latest collaboration with Christophe Honoré, Marcello Mio, was presented in the official competition at the 77th Cannes Film Festival in 2024, and she will soon be seen in Langue Étrangère by Claire Burger.

Message

I am very happy and honored to be invited to participate in the Tokyo International Film Festival this year and to share this valuable experience with a jury of such inspiring artists. I am grateful to the festival for its invitation and trust, and I look forward to discovering the selected films and experiencing them in Tokyo. I feel truly fortunate to be able to spend ten days immersed in cinema with this team in the wonderful city of Tokyo.

Johnnie To

Director , Producer

One of Asia’s leading filmmakers, Johnnie To Kei-Fung is a Hong Kong-based director who has been highly acclaimed worldwide. He started his career with the Television Broadcast Ltd. (TVB) in 1974 and became a producer and director in the company’s drama division in 1977. He made his directorial debut with The Enigmatic Case in 1980, and in 1996 created the production company Milkyway Image, where he directed and produced a series of daring and innovative films. Internationally, he is best known for his action and crime movies, such as The Mission (1999) and Vengeance (2009), which have earned cult followings and critical respect. To has already directed 54 features and produced 70 more, which have secured him numerous nominations and countless awards in the Asia-Pacific, Europe and the US. They include three Best Director awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards for The Mission, PTU (2003) and Election (2005), and three Best Director awards at Taiwan’s Golden Horse Awards for The Mission, Breaking News (2004), Life Without Principle (2011). To has also been awarded Lifetime Achievement Awards at the Locarno International Film Festival, Udine Far East Festival, and Sitges Film Festival in recognition of his contributions to film arts. He has served on juries at such major film festivals as Cannes (2011), Venice (2008), and Berlin (2023). To has also devoted tremendous efforts to grooming local talent. Septet: The Story of Hong Kong (2022, as director and producer) and Mad Fate (2023, as producer) are his most recent works.

Message

It is a great privilege to serve as a jury member for the Tokyo International Film Festival. Japanese cinema beautifully captures the essence of Japanese culture, a culture I greatly admire. As a filmmaker, I am inherently drawn to the world of cinema, and I hold a deep appreciation for the artistry involved. I am eager to partake in a rewarding experience during my time in Japan, fulfilling my responsibilities as a jury member, immersing myself in outstanding films, and embracing the richness of Japanese culture. I am looking forward to collaborating with my esteemed colleagues on the jury panel and aspire to utilize this opportunity to foster meaningful exchanges within the realm of filmmaking culture.

Nia Dinata

PDirector / Producer / Writer

Nia Dinata, a renowned Indonesian director, challenges patriarchy and gender norms with films like Arisan! (2003) and Berbagi Suami (2006). Three Sassy Sisters (2016) premiered at the Tokyo International Film Festival. She produced acclaimed films such as Janji Joni (Joko Anwar, 2005), At Stake (Omnibus, 2008) and Madame X (Lucky Kuswandi, 2010). She continues mentoring emerging Indonesian filmmakers.

(c) Wayan Martino

Yamashita Koyo

Director of Image Forum Festival

Born in Tokyo, Japan. Yamashita has been the director of the Image Forum Festival, dedicated to experimental/personal cinema, since 2001 as well as the programmer of the Theater Image Forum in Shibuya, Tokyo since 2005. He has served as a guest programmer/curator at numerous film and media art festivals around the world.

Yokohama Satoko

Director

Yokohama received recognition for Chiemi and Kokkunpatcho (2005), her graduation project at the Film School of Tokyo, and received support from the CO2 Film Festival to make the medium-length film German plus Rain (2007), which won the Directors Guild of Japan New Directors Award. She made her commercial debut with Bare Essence of Life (2009) and won numerous film awards for Ito (2021). She directed several episodes of Disney+'s "A Town Without Seasons" (written by Kudo Kankuro).

Members of the International Competition Jury

President of Jury

Jury Members

Members of the Asian Future Jury