This year's TIFF opened with a requiem for the victims of 9.11. For the centenary of Walt Disney's birth, ten featurelength Disney films were shown. This year marked the first time the Korean Cinema Week was scheduled in recognition of the great interest shown in Korean culture. With the World Cup 2002 fast approaching, anticipation was high for greater cultural exchange between the two countries.
The special presenter of Tokyo Grand Prix during the closing ceremonies was Kazuhiro Sasaki of the Seattle Mariners.
In 2001, the metropolitan government of Tokyo established “Tokyo Location Box” to provide assistance for filming inside Tokyo government facilities and enabling greater development of film culture in the city. Filming for Luc Besson's Wasabi was made possible through this assistance.

1. One Fine Spring Day in Competition. From right, director Hur Jin-ho, stars You Ji-tae and Lee Young-ae. 2. Codirectors of Bangkok Dangerous, Danny and Oxide Pang brothers. 3. Director Kihachi Okamoto proved his everlasting creativity with Vengeance is Such a Great Business. 4. AGITATOR in Nippon Cinema Now section. From left, director Takashi Miike and star Masaya Kato. 5. Director Michel Gondry talks about his competition film, Human Nature. 6. Director Akihiko Shiota and lead actress Aoi Miyazaki attend the screening of Harmful Insect in Nippon Cinema Now section. 7. Miwa Yoshida of Dreams Come True performs the Japanese theme song for Atlantis: The Lost Empire at the closing screening.