The 22nd Tokyo International Film Festival, International Competition Jury Official Press Conference was held on Oct. 19th (Mon). The international jury lineup for the Official Press Conference were Director Alejandro González Iňárritu, the President of Jury, Mieko Harada, the actress, Director Jerzy Skolimowski who was the awardee of Special Jury Prize at Tokyo International Film Festival. Also, Caroline Champetier who was the Director of Photography for Godard, Yoo Ji Tae, actor and director from Korea and Masamichi Matsumoto, Director of Cinémathèque.




"I am honored to be chosen as the President of Jury for Competition section of the Tokyo International Film Festival and to be able to share the experience at the film festival with the wonderful members of the jury. Through the process of viewing the various genre of films such as experimental works, films by the young directors and films by the experienced directors; we would like to try our best, by believing in our five senses, to find the film that we could truly feel from our hearts to be a wonderful film that would bestow us the powerful surge of emotion,"spoke Director Alejandro González Iňárritu.



"This will be my first time to experience the film festival from the side of the jury rather than an actress. I felt so very happy with our jury lineup that I thought it would be kind of interesting to imagine if we were the cast for the film,” said Mieko Harada.
She also mentioned a comment about the Special Screening title, SOUL RED Yusaku Masuda saying, ”I am very pleased to be able to participate in the film festival during the screening of the film by the late Yusaku Matsuda whom I truly respect as a brother who remains deep in my heart.


Director Jerzy Skolimowski said, “There was a film that I saw today with a scene where a cloud of smoke was pluming and I felt like I sort of inhaled the smoke…. I am sorry if I start coughing during the interview (hacking cough),” with a humor. He gave his sentiments about the change of circumstance from person being judged to the person who is judging. “I have absolutely no sense of discomfort because each time I make my film; it increases my chances of visiting to Japan possible! I would like to enter my film to TIFF next year too and make a visit to Japan again,” said Director Jerzy Skolimowski who made an appeal as a Japanese-enthusiast.


Caroline Champetier said, “I truly feel that the film is a living matter. Just after seeing the film, it gives me an impression that the “film is a good one”, but on the second day, it makes me feel “?” about it, and yet on the night of the third, the film remains strongly in my heart…. So in that sense, when I recognize a film to be a soul, it becomes difficult to grasp the truth about it. That is why I feel that a person must have a strong sense of commitment and view the film with their flesh and soul, using the entire body. ”She gave her serious thoughts about the film as a Director of Photography who made numerous masterpieces.


Yoo Ji Tae told us that, “While working on the film, I often felt that people are diverse and each one of them should be respected. That is why when we judge a film as juries, we should respect each ideas of the people who made the film, people who judge the film and the audiences. We should listen to what many people would say and learn and make our best efforts to judge while enjoying the film festival.”


Masamichi Matsumoto said, “I think it was most probably a first time in the history of the Tokyo International Film Festival that a person from the Cinémathèque has been chosen for the jury. For that reason, I feel that the new policy has been adopted to introduce the cinema's historic perspectives to TIFF. On a peronal note, I usually view many classic films. That is why I felt like I was thrown all of a sudden in to a stadium of modern films. But because I can comprehend the masterfully selected Competition film titles, I feel certain that I can make a firm judgment.” He showed us his self-assurance to judge the film through his original perspective.


The respective awards including the Tokyo Sakura Grand Prix will be chosen by these six“Members of the International Competition Jury”and will be announced on Oct. 25th (Sun)！