The 38th Tokyo International Film Festival kicked off Monday
evening with a glittering red carpet and the emotional local premiere of Climbing
for Life, Junji Sakamoto’s new biographical drama about Junko Tabei — the
first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
During the ceremony, the film’s star, Sayuri Yoshinaga,
received the festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her
remarkable career spanning Japan’s postwar cinematic golden age to today. A
four-time Japan Academy Award winner for Best Actress, Climbing for Life
marks Yoshinaga’s 124th film appearance.
On a warm, clear night in Tokyo’s upscale Ginza district,
Yoshinaga walked the red carpet alongside Sakamoto and co-star Rena Nonen. They
were joined by this year’s festival ambassador Kumi Takiuchi, as well as a host
of Japanese and international stars — including Takumi Saitoh, Misato Morita,
China’s Fan Bingbing and Peter Chan, and French actress Juliette Binoche.
In recent years, the Tokyo International Film Festival has
been working to reclaim its place as a premier event in the Asia-Pacific film
circuit. Under chairman Hiroyasu Ando, the festival has focused on revitalizing
its international profile — highlighting Japan’s deep cinematic history, the
global rise of anime, and the growing worldwide fascination with Japanese
culture.
“It’s an honor to be in a country that means so much to
anyone who loves cinema,” said Carlo Chatrian, former director of the Berlin
International Film Festival and head of Tokyo’s main competition jury this
year. “We come here from different backgrounds, but after these ten days, we’ll
know a little more about each other and the world we live in — and that’s the
beauty of film.”
The opening ceremony took place just minutes from Tokyo’s
Imperial Palace amid heightened security for the visit of U.S. President Donald
Trump, who arrived at Haneda Airport as the festival began. Roughly 18,000
police officers were deployed across the capital for the visit, during which
Trump was set to meet Emperor Naruhito and newly elected Prime Minister Sanae
Takaichi, Japan’s first female leader.
Unlike in previous years, there was no greeting from Japan’s
prime minister during the ceremony. Instead, Toshiro Ino, Japan’s Minister for
Economy, Trade, and Industry, offered remarks celebrating Japan’s selection as
the “Country of Focus” for the Cannes Marché du Film in 2026. He also
highlighted the success of the historical drama Kokuho, which has become
Japan’s highest-grossing live-action movie in years despite its three-hour
runtime and focus on traditional kabuki theater.
“Kokuho has reignited public interest in kabuki, a
core element of our cultural heritage,” Ino said. “We’re proud to see Japanese
films inspiring audiences both here and abroad, and the government will
continue supporting efforts to bring our culture to the world.”
Festival chairman Ando also introduced legendary American
filmmaker Paul Schrader to the audience. The Taxi Driver screenwriter
and longtime Martin Scorsese collaborator attended the festival with his 1985
film Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, which will finally make its
long-awaited Japan premiere. The biopic about writer Yukio Mishima — who
famously died by ritual suicide in 1970 — was previously blocked from release
in Japan due to political controversy.
Speaking on the red carpet, Schrader joked, “I always
believed Mishima would eventually be shown in Japan — but it’s been 40
years, so it took a little longer than I expected.”
And with a laugh, he added a parting comment to the crowd: “Don’t blame America for Donald Trump!”
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