Tokyo Jury President Rolf de Heer Says New FIAPF A-List Status Changes Little for Festival
The filmmaker argues the formal accreditation adds little to a festival that was already viewed as top-tier by the industry.
By Adrian Kovalenko ·
Rolf de Heer, the Australian director serving as president of the jury for the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival, stated on Tuesday that the formal A-list status granted to the event will have minimal impact on its operations. De Heer, known for directing “Bad Boy Bubby” and “Ten Canoes,” addressed the question during a press conference for the festival's competition panel.
The International Federation of Film Producers’ Associations, or FIAPF, announced in March that it was replacing its previous four-category accreditation system with a single list. This new list designates 17 festivals as A-list, a term the industry had previously used informally. Tokyo is one of the 17 selected, joining established venues such as Cannes, Berlin, and Venice. Busan and Toronto also received this classification for the first time.
De Heer noted that Tokyo was effectively considered an A-festival by most attendees prior to the official change. “I think Tokyo has always been considered one of those festivals by most people who attend festivals,” he said. “Tokyo was effectively an A festival. And so in that sense, I don’t think it makes a lot of difference.” He acknowledged that the label might help secure higher quality films, but he did not believe it would alter the festival significantly.
Korean producer Oh Jungwan, who founded Bom Film Productions and is serving on the jury for the second time, agreed with de Heer’s assessment. Oh stated that she is not a film festival insider and that the label does not dictate where audiences choose to go. “We just go to watch film and enjoy the feeling, the festival feeling,” she said.
When pressed on whether the system unfairly ranks festivals, de Heer offered a final perspective. “It matters a great deal to some people, and not at all to others. And that is as it should be,” he said. The remaining jury members, including actor Watanabe Makiko, producer Alex Lo, and colorist Yov Moor, did not comment on the classification. The five-member panel will select the Tokyo Grand Prix from 15 competition titles.
De Heer also discussed the future of Australia-Japan co-productions, stating that financial-only collaborations are not common. He emphasized that successful joint projects usually arise from scripts that naturally require filming in both countries. Producer Alex Lo, whose film “Heads or Tails?” won best director at the previous edition of the festival, noted that producers in Europe and the U.S. are increasingly seeking co-production opportunities due to a lack of local government support.
The festival runs through Nov. 4. De Heer said the jury would aim to avoid selecting a compromised film, preferring a choice that resonates with the group even if it is not universally liked. Oh recalled a previous jury experience where she argued for a film for seven hours, noting that all other members opposed her at the time.
Source: Variety
