Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF)

Overview

The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) is Japan's largest international film festival and one of only two FIAPF-accredited competitive festivals in Asia (the other being Shanghai). The 39th edition runs October 26 through November 4, 2026, across the Hibiya-Yurakucho-Marunouchi-Ginza area of central Tokyo. The festival screens approximately 200 films over 10 days and attracts over 80,000 attendees.

TIFF is the primary international showcase for Japanese cinema. It programs new work by established Japanese directors alongside emerging talent, and brings world cinema to Japanese audiences. Japan's domestic box office is the third-largest in the world, making TIFF a direct gateway to Japanese distributors, broadcasters, and audiences.

Submission Details

Submissions for the 39th TIFF (2026) open April 7 and close July 7, 2026 at noon JST. Submissions are made through the festival website, not FilmFreeway.

Competition Section

The main Competition section accepts feature films from around the world that have not yet been released in Japan (Japanese Premiere status required). Documentary and animation features are eligible. Films completed after January 1, 2026 are eligible. In 2025, 1,970 films were submitted from 108 countries and regions.

Asian Future Section

A competitive section for Asian filmmakers (including Japan and the Middle East) who have directed no more than three feature-length films. First, second, or third features are eligible.

Submission Fees

All fees include tax. If a screener link is not available at the time of submission, the URL and password can be sent to competition2026@tiff-jp.net no later than July 7, 2026. The screener link must remain accessible until the end of September.

TIFFCOM Market

TIFFCOM is the affiliated audiovisual content market that runs alongside the festival. TIFFCOM 2026 runs October 28 through 30 (3 days) at the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center Hamamatsucho-Kan. It is organized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), and UNIJAPAN.

TIFFCOM attracts buyers and distributors from across Asia and the world. For filmmakers seeking Asian distribution or co-production partners, TIFFCOM is the most accessible content market in Japan. It functions as a meeting point for film, television, and digital content deals.

Key Sections

• International Competition: features competing for the Tokyo Grand Prix. Requires Japanese Premiere status.
• Asian Future: first, second, or third features by Asian directors (including Japan and the Middle East).
• Gala Selections: high-profile premieres.
• World Focus: international cinema outside competition.
• Japanese Cinema Splash: new Japanese films.
• Nippon Cinema Now: a survey of current Japanese cinema.
• Tokyo Premiere: world and international premieres.
• Animation: dedicated animation programming reflecting Japan's position in global animation.

Major Awards

• Tokyo Grand Prix: Best Film in the main competition
• Special Jury Prize
• Best Director
• Best Actress and Best Actor
• Best Screenplay
• Best Artistic Contribution
• Asian Future Best Film Award: for the best qualifying first, second, or third feature by an Asian filmmaker
• Audience Award

What Filmmakers Should Know

Premiere Requirements

The Competition section requires Japanese Premiere status: the film must not have been released in Japan prior to the festival. World, International, or North American premieres are not required, but films that have already screened publicly in Japan are not eligible for Competition.

For Asian Filmmakers

The Asian Future section is the most direct route for emerging Asian directors. If you have directed no more than three feature films and you are from Asia (including Japan and the Middle East), your first, second, or third feature qualifies. This section has lower submission volume than the main Competition and offers a dedicated award.

For International Filmmakers

A TIFF selection gives your film visibility in Japan's domestic market. Japan's box office is the third-largest globally, and Japanese distributors actively attend the festival. International filmmakers without Asian distribution should consider TIFFCOM as a cost-effective way to meet Asian buyers without traveling to a separate market.

Language and Subtitles

If the original language of the film is not English, English subtitles are required for submission. Screening prints must have Japanese subtitles for festival screenings; TIFF can provide guidance on subtitling services.

Festival History

TIFF was founded in 1985 by UNIJAPAN and received FIAPF competitive accreditation, making it one of the few A-list competitive festivals in Asia. The festival has grown alongside Japan's evolving film culture, from the art house boom of the 1990s and 2000s through the current era of anime dominance and international co-production. The 38th edition (2025) continued the festival's mission, stated as "To amplify the possibilities of cinema from Tokyo and contribute to interactions with a diverse world."

Past Winners (Tokyo Grand Prix)

Recent Tokyo Grand Prix winners and where the films landed:

• 2024: *Teki Cometh* (Japan), dir. Kenta Fukasawa. Won the Tokyo Grand Prix, Best Director, and Best Actor. A Japanese period drama about a vassal who predicts an enemy's arrival.

• 2023: *A Light Never Goes Out* (Hong Kong), dir. Anastasia Tsang. Won the Asian Future Best Film Award. A Hong Kong drama about a widow pursuing her late husband's dream of opening a candle shop.

Notable Alumni Films and Where They Ended Up

TIFF has launched many significant Asian films. Selected premieres and their outcomes:

• Kolya (1996) - Won the Tokyo Grand Prix. Won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film (1997). Distributed by Miramax in the US. Grossed $5.9 million in North America. A Czech film about a cellist who inherits a young Russian boy.
• The Blue Kite (1993) - Won the Tokyo Grand Prix. Directed by Tian Zhuangzhuang. Banned in China but acclaimed internationally. Distributed by Kino International in the US. A landmark of Chinese Fifth Generation cinema.
• Birdshot (2016) - Won the Asian Future Best Film Award. Philippines' official entry to the Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. Distributed by TBA Studios in the Philippines. Selected for international festival circuit including Berlin.
• Passage of Life (2017) - Won Asian Future Best Film and Spirit of Asia Award. Director Akio Fujimoto's subsequent films premiered at San Sebastian and Venice Orizzonti, where his film Lost Land won the Special Jury Prize.

Submission Tips Specific to TIFF

1. Japan premiere required. All features must be at minimum Japan Premieres. World and International Premieres receive priority. Japanese films must be World Premieres. Preserve your Japan premiere status or do not submit.
2. Entry fees are modest. Early bird is approximately JPY 3,300 (about $21 USD), regular is JPY 5,500 (about $35 USD). Deadlines are typically in early July for the autumn festival.
3. Feature films only (60+ minutes). Short films are not eligible for the main competition. Films can be fiction, documentary, or animation. English subtitles are required for all non-English films.
4. Use ASCII characters only. The submission form requires basic Latin alphabet. Do not use diacritics or non-Latin characters in titles, names, or synopses.
5. TIFFCOM market runs alongside. The TIFFCOM content market connects filmmakers with Asian buyers and distributors. If you have a sales agent, ensure they register for TIFFCOM to maximize distribution potential in the Asian market.

Industry Reputation Notes

• Japan's only FIAPF A-list festival. TIFF is one of only two FIAPF-accredited competitive festivals in Asia (alongside Shanghai). Founded in 1985, it is the largest film festival in Asia by submissions, with 1,970 submissions in 2025 (94 percent foreign films).
• Restructured since 2019. Under chairman Hiroyasu Ando and programming director Shozo Ichiyama, TIFF moved from Roppongi to Ginza-Hibiya, increased world premieres, and introduced TIFF Lounge talk sessions. The 2025 edition had 68,153 admissions and 4,592 professional attendees (41 percent foreign).
• Comparison to Busan. Busan (BIFF) is widely seen as edgier and cooler with a larger industry market. TIFF is more Japan-focused and traditional. TIFF leadership acknowledges they are still developing compared to the three major European festivals but aims to highlight unique characteristics as an Asian festival.
• Asian cinema gateway. TIFF collaborates with Busan, Hong Kong, and Shanghai to promote Asian cinema. The Asian Future section specifically supports emerging Asian directors. TIFFCOM provides market access for films seeking Asian distribution.

See Also

For understanding Asian cinema markets, see International Film Markets. For festival strategy, see Film Festival Strategy. Use the Festival Entry Fee ROI Calculator to evaluate whether submitting to TIFF makes financial sense for your project. For distribution deal fundamentals, see Distribution Deals Explained.