The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) has appointed acclaimed Australian director Rolf de Heer as the president of its international competition jury for the festival’s 39th edition. This prestigious role highlights de Heer’s long-standing contribution to cinema, particularly in his native Australia.
Rolf de Heer: A Veteran of Film
With over 40 years of experience in the film industry, de Heer has dedicated much of his career to directing, writing, and producing a yve-style.com of films. His notable work includes the 1993 feature “Bad Boy Bubby,” which won the Special Jury Prize and the Fipresci Prize at the Venice International Film Festival. Additionally, four of his films have been officially selected for the Cannes Film Festival, including “Ten Canoes” (2006), which also earned a Special Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section.
A Showcase of Australian Cinema
This year’s TIFF will feature an exclusive Australia Spotlight within its World Focus lineup—an initiative collaboratively arranged with the Australian Embassy in Japan. Among the highlights of this showcase is de Heer’s recent work, “The Survival of Kindness” (2022), which received acclaim as a competition entry at the 73rd Berlin Film Festival, where it won the Fipresci Prize.
Filmmaking as a Privilege
Reflecting on his role, de Heer stated, “For any of us attending the Tokyo International Film Festival, it is a privilege. For me, as a filmmaker, it is even more so. The more films I manage to make, the fewer films I manage to see, especially on the big screen. But as a part of this jury, I have the duty, the obligation, to see at least 15 films and talk about them with other filmmakers.”
Leadership and Insights at TIFF
TIFF festival director Hisamatsu Takeo expressed enthusiasm over de Heer’s appointment, remarking, “With his distinctive perspective and unwavering commitment to filmmaking, de Heer has spent decades opening up new possibilities in cinema. We look forward to the fresh dialogue and discoveries that his wealth of experience and deep insight will bring to this year’s Competition and its diverse selection of films.”
A Rich Legacy of Storytelling
De Heer studied at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School and has written or co-written 14 screenplays that successfully reached the screen as feature films. His directorial credits include 15 and a half features that span a wide array of budgets and genres, alongside producing or co-producing 16 fiction films and five documentaries.
Some of his career highlights feature the critically acclaimed “Dingo” (1991), starring Colin Friels and jazz legend Miles Davis, as well as “The Tracker” (2002), which marked de Heer’s fruitful collaboration with Aboriginal actor David Gulpilil. Furthermore, “Charlie’s Country” (2013) brought Gulpilil the best actor award at Cannes, while “Alexandra’s Project” (2003) won a best actress award for Helen Buday at the San Sebastian Film Festival after it was featured in competition at Berlin.
Event Details
The 39th Tokyo International Film Festival is set to take place from October 26 to November 4, with TIFFCOM, the festival’s industry market, scheduled for October 28-30.
