The Tokyo International Film Festival has unveiled the first major highlights of its 39th edition, confirming that Zeze Takahisa’s music drama Sukiyaki will open the festival, Yeon Sang-ho’s zombie thriller Colony will close it, and Yamazaki Takashi’s highly anticipated Godzilla Minus Zero will screen as a special Centerpiece presentation.
Opening the festival on October 26, Sukiyaki tells the story behind the creation of the 1963 song of the same name, performed by Kyu Sakamoto. The song topped the U.S. Billboard chart for three consecutive weeks that year and remains one of the best-selling singles in history, despite being performed entirely in Japanese.
The film focuses on the three artists behind the song: composer Nakamura Hachidai, lyricist Ei Rokusuke and singer Kyu Sakamoto, played by Okada Junichi, Matsuzaka Tori and Nakano Taiga, respectively. Zeze directs from a screenplay by Minato Takehiko. The film is scheduled to open in Japanese cinemas through Toho on December 25.
Taking the Centerpiece slot is Godzilla Minus Zero, the direct follow-up to Godzilla Minus One, which won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. Yamazaki Takashi returns to direct and also serves as writer and visual effects supervisor.
Set in 1949, two years after the events of the previous film, the sequel follows returning characters Koichi Shikishima, played by Kamiki Ryunosuke, and Noriko Oishi, played by Hamabe Minami. As Japan continues to recover from the devastation of World War II, the pair face another disaster.
Godzilla Minus Zero also marks a technological milestone as the first Japanese production shot for IMAX screens. The film had already premiered at the New York Film Festival ahead of its Tokyo screening and is scheduled for release in Japan through Toho on November 3.
Closing the festival on November 4 will be Colony, the zombie action-horror film from Train to Busan director Yeon Sang-ho. The film previously had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and has since become a major success in South Korea as well as several international markets.
TIFF programming director Ichiyama Shozo praised all three selections. Speaking about Sukiyaki, he highlighted its portrayal of three artists who inspired people in postwar Japan, with their stories connected through a collection of musical works.
On Godzilla Minus Zero, Ichiyama described the film as a true sequel to Godzilla Minus One and praised its new interpretation of Godzilla, saying it delivers surprises beyond expectations. He also called the film a masterpiece.
Ichiyama was similarly enthusiastic about Colony, describing it as the most exciting and emotionally impactful film he saw at this year’s Cannes. He also suggested that the film demonstrates there is still room for fresh ideas within the increasingly crowded zombie genre.
The 39th Tokyo International Film Festival will run for 10 days, from October 26 through November 4. Its affiliated market, TIFFCOM, will take place from October 28 to 30. The festival’s main venues will once again be located across the Hibiya-Yurakucho-Marunouchi-Ginza area, while TIFFCOM will be held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center in Hamamatsucho.
With Sukiyaki opening the festival, Godzilla Minus Zero occupying the Centerpiece slot and Colony bringing the event to a close, this year’s Tokyo International Film Festival is bringing together Japanese nostalgia, major genre filmmaking and acclaimed Korean cinema for its 39th edition.
