The five members of the 32nd Tokyo Film Festival (TIFF) International Competition Jury sat down with the press on October 29.
the morning after they’d first appeared together at the festival’s Opening Ceremony.
Presided over by internationally renowned Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Grandmaster), the all-star panel includes Academy Award and Emmy-nominated producer Bill Gerber (Gran Torino, A Star is Born), French actor and producer Julie Gayet (Cinéast(e)s, 8 Times Up, for which she received the Best Actress Award at TIFF in 2009), Danish director Michael Noer (Papillon, Before the Frost, which won the Special Jury Prize at TIFF in 2018), and versatile Japanese helmer Ryuichi Hiroki (Vibrator, Kabukicho Love Hotel, Side Job).
Zhang told the assembled press, many of them angling for closer pictures of the star, who is celebrating her 20th anniversary in film this year.
“I’ve been to Japan many times for promotional events. I came first with Zhang Yimou’s The Road Home (which TIFF is rescreening with Zhang present), and then Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and most recently, Godzilla.
It’s a real pleasure to be here again.”
Echoed Gerber, “It’s an honor to be here. I’m looking forward to seeing the best of international films here this year.
I haven’t been here with any of the films I’ve been involved with, but I know Gran Torino and A Star Is Born did really well in Japan.
I’m looking forward to getting to know the members of the Japanese film industry better on this trip.”
Gayet recalled, “I came here as an actress nearly 15 years ago with Clara and I, which had a great response at TIFF, and I had the honor of coming with Eight Times Up in 2009, for which I received the Best Actress prize, and which was also my first time as a producer.
I’m very pleased to be part of this wonderful jury, I look forward to watching the Competition films and I’m also hoping to see some Japanese animation on the side.”
Tokyo Film Festival
