This year, Tokyo International Film Festival celebrated its milestone 20th edition. The WORLD CINEMA section was launched this year, and a special project, Tokyo in Focus, was held. Also, Her Imperial Majesty attended the The Invitation from Cinema Orion shown in the Special Screenings section.
The SEI-YU KO-EN Live with Yosuke Yamashita attracted a large audience and brought back silent movies, produced more than 80 years ago, vividly to the modern world by joining the powerful stage performance of the Jazz pianist Yosuke Yamashita and the live voice-over of the voice actor, Michio Hazama. Also, at the outdoor venue of Roppongi Hills Arena, an event was held inviting directors of the Special Screenings, films from the Competition section and Japanese Eyes as guests of a panel discussion, with entertaining stories about filmmaking. The TIFF movie cafe was establ ished to provide a place of communication for film festival guests, and a retrospective photo exhibition was held to commemorate the 20th TIFF. A great number of film fans enjoyed the screenings and special events before and after the screenings.

1. Director Johnnie To at a special screening of his Mad Detective in the Winds of Asia-Middle East section. 2. Actress Christine Horne (right) and executive producer Michael Ryan at a screening of well-received Competition film The Stone Angel. 3. From left: actors Kyosuke Yabe, Shun Oguri, and Takayuki Yamada turn out in support of their special invitation film Crows Zero. 4. Cast and crew members from the Audience Award-winning Leroy. From left: producers Jan Krüger and Oliver Stoltz, director Armin Völckers, and star Alain Morel. 5. Director Abolfazl Jalili (left) and star Kumiko Aso at a screening of their Competition film Hafez. 6. Actor Kiichi Nakai, star of Competition film Crossing Over, is interviewed on the red carpet. 7. The Invitation from Cinema Orion stars Ryo Kase and Rie Miyazawa greet Empress Michiko at a charity screening of their film. 8. Producer Sir David Puttnam, recipient of the AkiraKurosawa Award. 9. 20-year-old actress Masami Nagasawa helps TIFF celebrate its 20th year.