The subsidy program that began in 1995 targeting young Japanese film directors supported works like Donten Seikatsu by Nobuhiro Yamashita the same year. The program was expanded into the Tokyo Film Creators Forum targeting not just young directors but any filmmakers in Japan and other Asian countries as well.
Special programs for this year 's TIFF focused on filmmakers from around the world. Cinema Prism presented special features on Amos Gitai, Alexander Dovzhenko, and Robert Bresson.
Nippon Cinema Masters saw Kon Ichikawa, Masahiro Shinoda, and Nagisa Oshima, who had all just completed their latest films, choosing one film that they would like to show to people around the world.

1. Otar Iosseliani, director of Farewell, Home Sweet Home in Cinema Prism section. 2. Phil Collins performs at the closing screening of Tarzan. 3. Director Makoto Wada (right) and lead actress Michele Monique Reis from 'Round About Midnight greet audience at a Competition screening. 4. Director Amos Gitai gives an autograph to his fan. 5. From left, actor Moritz Bleibtreu and director Bakhtiar Khudojnazarov from Luna Papa (Best Artistic Contribution winner), actress Lee Kang-i from Darkness and Light (Grand-prix winner), director Park Chong-won from Rainbow Trout (Special Jury Prize winner) and director Benito Zambrano from Alone (Best Actor and Actress Awards winner). 6. Crew and cast members from Joan of Arc at the opening screening. From left: sound composer Eric Serra, director Luc Besson, actress Faye Dunaway and actor Desmond Harrington.