37th TIFF’s Gala Selection Unveiled; Trailer with Festival Song to Screen from Sept. 20
The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) will premiere this year’s trailer in theaters in Japan from September 20. In addition to the Opening film 11 Rebels and the Closing film Marcello Mio, the colorful 60-second trailer teases 13 films from the Gala Selection, which screens titles that have created a buzz among audiences at international film festivals, as well as Japanese blockbusters.
Opening and Closing Films/Gala Selection Lineup
| Title | Country/Region | Director | Cast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening Film | |||
| 11 Rebels | Japan | Shiraishi Kazuya | Yamada Takayuki, Nakano Taiga, Abe Sadawo |
| Closing Film | |||
| Marcello Mio | France | Christophe Honoré | Chiara Mastroianni, Catherine Deneuve, Melvil Poupaud |
| Gala Selection | |||
| Black Dog | China | Guan Hu | Eddie Peng, Jia Zhang-Ke, Tong Liya |
| Emmanuelle | France | Audrey Diwan | Noémie Merlant, Will Sharpe, Naomi Watts |
| Lumière! The Adventure Continues | France | Thierry Frémaux | ——– |
| Nightbitch | USA | Marielle Heller | Amy Adams, Scoot McNairy, Jessica Harper |
| Orang Ikan | Singapore/Indonesia/Japan/UK | Mike Wiluan | Dean Fujioka, Callum Woodhouse, Alan Maxson |
| A Real Pain | USA/Poland | Jesse Eisenberg | Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin, Will Sharpe |
| Route 29 | Japan | Morii Yusuke | Ayase Haruka, Osawa Kana |
| Snowflowers: Seeds of Hope | Japan | Koizumi Takashi | Matsuzaka Tori, Yoshine Kyoko, Yakusho Koji |
| The Solitary Gourmet | Japan | Matsushige Yutaka | Matsushige Yutaka |
| Spirit World | France/Singapore/Japan | Eric Khoo | Catherine Deneuve, Takenouchi Yutaka, Sakai Masaaki |
| Sunset Sunrise | Japan | Kishi Yoshiyuki | Suda Masaki |
| Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In | Hong Kong | Soi Cheang | Louis Koo, Sammo Hung, Raymond Lam |
| White Bird | USA | Marc Forster | Ariella Glaser, Orlando Schwerdt, Gillian Anderson, Helen Mirren |
*Alphabetical order by title.
The full lineup of the 37th TIFF will be announced at a press conference in Tokyo on September 25.
The trailer features the 37th TIFF festival song “Desire” by Hibiki. She is a Japanese singer and university student living in Kyushu, who is considered to be on the cusp of a nationwide breakthrough. She is perfectly aligned with the TIFF’s goals, which include placing a stronger focus on women, such as through the newly established Women’s Empowerment section, as well as fostering emerging talent. The trailer of films from around the world combined with the soundscape of the festival song heighten the excitement surrounding this year’s film festival.
Comment from Hibiki:
I created “Desire” while imagining a protagonist who lives confidently despite being swayed by the era of social media. I believe that many of the films selected at TIFF can be interpreted and valued differently by each audience member, and I would be delighted if this song could contribute, even a little, to boosting the excitement of the festival. I also heard that a new Women’s Empowerment section has been established this year, focusing on women. Personally, I am very excited to see the films in this section.
Hibiki: 37th TIFF festival song performer
A 19-year-old first-year university student based in Kyushu. In August 2023, she made it to the final round of SD’s “Global Audition ‘The Final.'” She then appeared on a TV audition program where she was selected as one of 15 contestants from a pool of 18,058 contestants, and gave a powerful cover performance of BTS member Jungkook’s global hit song “Seven,” which went viral on TikTok, garnering 1.5 million views and 48.9K likes within just a few days. Her activities are not limited to Japan, as Hibiki aims to expand her career internationally and is currently working on a collaborative project with Nakamura Shingo, a Japanese artist signed to Monstercat, a Vancouver-based dance music label that has launched global artists like Marshmello.
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