The 21st Tokyo International Film Festival adopted the slogan "Action for Earth" in order to transmit the theme of "Protecting the Earth=Ecology" and as the symbol of this theme, we unrolled the Green Carpet instead of the traditional Red Carpet on the opening day in the Roppongi Keyakizaka Dori.
Recycled PET bottles were used for the Green Carpet, and all the screening theaters used "green" power for electricity. Events such as the Green Tie Gala Dinner and the Earth Conference were held as well.
"Symbiosis between nature and mankind" became the theme for the newly established natural TIFF section.
The broad range of new film selections included powerful documentary titles and omnibus short films which commemorated the 60th Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations. The enthusiastic public appearances by various directors were especially inspiring for young movie fans. The Special Programs showcased a number of rarely-seen films, including a new print of Dersu Uzara.

1: Directors Nikita Mikhalkov (right) and Chen Kaige, recipients of the Akira Kurosawa Award. 2. José Luis Guerín, director of In the City of Sylvia. 3. Director John Woo, actors Tony Leung and Takeshi Kaneshiro at the opening screening of Red Cliff Part Ⅰ. 4. Satoshi Tsumabuki, star of School Days with a Pig, which won the TOYOTA Earth Grand Prix Jury Award. 5. Félicité Wouassi, winner of the Award for Best Actress for her performance in With a Little Help from Myself. 6. From left: Competition jury president Jon Voight, former Kurosawa Production manager Teruyo Nogami, and Academy Film Archive director Michael Pogorzelski at a special screening of Rashomon. 7. Garin Nugroho, director of Under the Tree. 8. Competition film 4 Nights with Anna producer/screenwriter Ewa Piasikowska (left) and director Jerzy Skolimowski with School Days with a Pig director Tetsu Maeda. 9. Cast and crew members from Blindness.