The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) is excited to reveal that this year’s Nippon Cinema Now section will shine a spotlight on the works of director Irie Yu, one of Japan’s most genre-diverse creators.
 
Nippon Cinema Now features new films produced in Japan over the past year, curated in a lineup that TIFF deems imperative to introduce to international audiences. The 37th TIFF will highlight the works of director Irie Yu in the Nippon Cinema Now section. Irie garnered widespread attention with his 2009 indie breakout 8000 Miles. Since then, he has continued to create daring and ambitious works transcending genre boundaries. His latest film, A Girl Named Ann (2024), starring emerging powerhouse actor Kawai Yuumi, has also attracted significant attention worldwide.
 
The full Nippon Cinema Now section lineup will be announced at our press conference in late September.
 
Films screening at the Director in Focus
8000 Miles: SR Saitama’s Rapper (2009), 8000 Miles 2: Girls Rapper (2010), Roadside Fugitive (2012), The Sun (2016), A Girl Named Ann (2024)
*All screenings with English subtitles.
 

Comment from Irie Yu, Director
I’ve been going around in circles while making films, bouncing between different types of productions. I am thus deeply honored to have my work showcased in a special screening package. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the casts and crews who have worked with me on my films, as well as to the audiences who have watched them.
 
Comment from Ichiyama Shozo, Programming DirectorDirector Irie Yu has consistently released exciting films while moving between independent films and major studio productions, and he is recognized as one of the key figures shaping the future of Japanese cinema. With the release of his masterpiece A Girl Named Ann (2024), which marks a significant milestone in his career, we have curated this feature not only to celebrate his accomplishments to date, but also to help pave the way for his well-deserved recognition abroad.