Tokyo Filmex Explained

TOKYO FILMeX
Founded:2000
Location:Tokyo, Japan
Language:International
Website:http://filmex.jp/

TOKYO FILMeX (東京フィルメックス) is an international film festival established in 2000. The film festival was launched by Office Kitano, the agency and production company co-founded by leading actor-filmmaker Takeshi Kitano.[1] [2] TOKYO FILMeX especially focuses on new and independent feature films from Asia. A large number of films selected for competition program come from China, Japan, Korea, Iran, etc.

The festival's main events have been held at Yurakucho, Tokyo in late November annually, consists of the Competition Program, Special screening Program and Filmmakers in focus Program. Alongside the competition program for young emerging Asian filmmakers and other screening programs, stage appearances by actors and symposiums are also planned to discover the masterworks of independent filmmakers from around the world.

In 2018, Office Kitano was restructured after Kitano announced in March that he was quitting to go independent. As representing Kitano brought in a large proportion of Office Kitano's revenue, the company has now scaled back production and is no longer in a position to fund TOKYO FILMeX. Kinoshita Group has stepped in to take over the management role and part-finance the event, which also receives funding from government and sponsorship deals.[3]

Competition Grand Prize Winners

Year Film Director Nationality of Director
(at time of film's release)
2000Suzhou RiverLou Ye China
2001Flower IslandSong Il-gon
2002Blissfully YoursApichatpong Weerasethakul Thailand
2003IncenseNing Hao China
2004Tropical MaladyApichatpong Weerasethakul Thailand
2005BashingMasahiro Kobayashi Japan
2006To Get to Heaven, First You Have to DieJamshed Usmonov Tajikistan
2007TehilimRaphaël Nadjari Israel
2008Waltz with BashirAri Folman Israel
2009BreathlessYang Ik-june
2010Love AddictionShinki Uchida Japan
2011Old Dog China
2012EpilogueAmir Manor Israel
2013In BloomNana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Groß Georgia
2014Cyclo D' OrFrancis Pasion Philippines
2015TharloPema Tseden China
2016Life after lifeZhang Hanyi China
2017Marlina the Murderer in Four ActsMouly Surya Indonesia
The Seen and UnseenKamila Andini Indonesia
2018AykaSergei Dvortsevoy
2019BallonPema Tseden China
2020In Between DyingHilal Baydarov Azerbaijan
2021What Do We See When We Look at the Sky?Alexandre Koberidze Georgia
Anatomy of TimeJakrawal Nilthamrong Thailand
2022AutobiographyMakbul Mubarak Indonesia
2023Inside the Yellow Cocoon ShellPhạm Thiên Ân

References

  1. Web site: TOKYO FILMeX. filmex.jp. Mar 14, 2019.
  2. http://www.filmmakermagazine.com/news/2011/02/the-11th-tokyo-filmex/ Filmmaker Magazine
  3. Web site: Kinoshita to Rescue Tokyo FILMeX Festival. Patrick. Frater. May 9, 2018. Mar 14, 2019.