17th Tokyo International Film FestivalOctober23-31,2004

This year's TIFF was held in Roppongi Hills as well as Bunkamura. On October 22, dubbed "Opening Eve," Wong Kar-wai's "2046" was the featured screening. Takuya Kimura, who appeared in the film, paid a visit to the Roppongi Hills Arena. On opening day, a red carpet covered the Roppongi Keyakizaka Dori. The 17th TIFF had its highest-ever attendance.

Beginning this year, a new "Japanese Eyes" was set up to show people in and outside Japan the wide variety and individuality of Japanese films that are being produced. In addition, “TIFFCOM” was established for the benefit of content business managers from Japan and overseas. “Tokyo International Film and Contents Market 2004” and other forums provided opportunities for comprehensive entertainment businesses covering film, animation, games, and character content.

This year marked the establishment of "Akira Kurosawa Award" given to filmmakers who made a significant contribution to world cinema. The award was designed to keep Kurosawa's legacy alive, symbolize the rebirth of distinctively Japanese forms of artistic expression, and contribute to the development of a wide range of global cinema activities. The award was presented this year to Steven Spielberg and Yoji Yamada.