TIFFCOM, the film market affiliated with Tokyo International Film Festival, looks set to be more diverse than ever. It is also primed to be bigger than last year’s 20th anniversary event, which marked its first in-person return post-pandemic and recorded 3,851 participants, of which 1,375 were from outside Japan, travelling from more than 50 countries and regions. Some 6,300 meetings were recorded in 2023, generating deals worth more than $95m, according to organisers.
Exhibition booths for the three-day market (October 30 to November 1) sold out by the start of August. Companies from China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand will be present in abundance, as well as visitors from Austria, Germany, Italy, the US and UK.
Taking place for the second time at the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center in Hamamatsucho, it is closer to festival venues in the Hibiya-Ginza area than the old market building in Ikebukuro.
Yasushi Shiina, TIFFCOM CEO and vice president of UniJapan, says he plans to continue strengthening the production side with elements such as the Tokyo Gap-Financing Market (TGFM) and Tokyo Story Market, which focuses on selling adaptation rights to works owned by Japanese publishers.
“This year, the TGFM brings together projects by established producers and emerging directors from 24 countries and regions,” he says. “For the second edition of the Tokyo Story Market, the number of participating publishers has increased to six following a successful first edition last year and meetings with international producers invited by TIFFCOM from around the world will be held.
TGFM, now into its fifth edition, will showcase feature film projects at financing stage that have secured at least 60% of their budget and contain Asian elements. The 20 projects include family drama 9 Temples To Heaven, the second feature of Thailand’s Sompot Chidgasornpongse, produced by Cannes Palme d’Or winner Apichatpong Weerasethakul, and punk commune drama Ria by Filipino filmmaker Arvin Belarmino, co-produced by Alemberg Ang of Chie Hayakawa’s award-winning Cannes 2022 title Plan 75.
Patrick Mao, producer of Cannes 2023 Critics’ Week grand prix winner Tiger Stripes, has teamed with emerging Chinese director Juefang Zhang on Where The Mountain Women Sing, while UK filmmaker Jemima James will present Cold Enough For Snow, based on the Tokyo-set bestselling novel of the same name, produced by Eve Gabereau of Modern Films.
Five projects from Italy have also been selected, in line with a focus on the territory by the festival to mark August’s Japan-Italy co-production agreement. “This will all support collaboration between Japan and overseas,” says Shiina.
In addition, after huge demand last year, TIFFCOM’s seminar programme will more than double.
“This year, we have expanded our seminar offerings from one venue to three and increased the number of sessions from seven to 15,” he says. “These sessions will cover the latest trends and success stories across various genres, including film, TV, and anime, with a focus on Japan and Asia.”
The TIFFCOM CEO highlights a session examining the opportunities, threats and future of artificial intelligence (AI) in cinema.
He further adds: “In the anime sector, there will be sessions on the future of Japanese anime as well as discussions on overseas expansion by Japanese animation studios; and in the TV sector, key figures from major broadcasters will discuss international strategies of their content and IP.
“As global demand for Asian content rapidly increases, particularly through streaming platforms, we have lined up seminars featuring powerful content from various Asian countries.”
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