Film Festival Calendar 2023
Film festivals provide remarkable opportunities for filmmakers and moviegoers alike. Whether you’re looking to submit your work or simply to enjoy some cinematic magic, this regularly updated calendar has everything you need.
From Romanian Academy Award contenders to an upcoming documentary about a Brooklyn neighborhood, here are the films heading for this fall’s festival circuit.
Carnegie Mellon University International Film Festival
Carnegie Mellon University is an American private research and teaching institution based in Pittsburgh. The university is known for its interdisciplinary approach to education, with programs in artificial intelligence, art management, computational finance, management and information systems, computer science, cognitive sciences, design and robotics. It also has an extensive international program, including a summer study abroad program for high school students.
The CMU International Film Festival, which opened last Thursday, is dedicated to Paul Goodman, a world-renowned filmmaker, psychologist and CMU professor. It mirrors his dedication to global awareness in his teaching and his desire to bring important aspects of diverse individuals to light through filmmaking, according to organizers. The festival features films from around the world. They include “Casablanca Beats,” from Morocco, which examines hip-hop music and dance as central modes of protest and free expression.
Tokyo International Film Festival
The Tokyo International Film Festival is the only Japanese festival accredited by the prestigious International Federation of Film Producers Associations. The festival was established in 1985 and seeks out excellent films from around the world to show them in Japan.
The 36th edition of the Tokyo International Film Festival opens October 23 and will feature 15 titles in its main competition strand. This year’s lineup includes three films from China (up from two last year), including crime drama A Long Shot and Snow Leopard, the final film by Tibetan auteur Pema Tseden. The selection also includes (Ab)normal Desire from Kishi Yoshiyuki, a Berlinale Generation Kplus entry, and slow-burn realist drama A Foggy Paradise from Kotsuji Yohei.
This year’s event will also include a tribute to the iconic director Yasujiro Ozu, 120 years after his birth.
Tokyo International Children’s Film Festival
The Tokyo International Children’s Film Festival is Japan’s largest and most important kids’ fest. It focuses on films that appeal to both kids and adults. The festival has a section for international works and a special screening of restored classics. It also has an open competition section for movies made for kids.
The film festival is an event that brings people together to celebrate the art of cinema. Its history dates back to the 19th century and it has helped shape the industry. Some famous festivals include Cannes, Venice and the New York City Film Festival.
Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun is making a name for himself in the world of cinema. He appeared in Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite and Project Silence and has been invited to Cannes multiple times.
Tokyo International Documentary Film Festival
The festival offers screenings and events allowing audiences to interact with filmmakers and actors. It also provides a platform for emerging directors to showcase their work. All film screenings are accompanied by subtitles and interpreted by sign language interpreters for barrier-free access.
This year’s 15-film competition section has an intentional focus on Asian cinema, with three films from China (including Dwelling by the West Lake, Snow Leopard and A Long Shot) matched by three Japan titles (Tomina Tetsuya’s existential romance Who Were We?, Kishi Yoshiyuki’s drama (Ab)normal Desire and Kotsijui Yohei’s slow-burn realist drama A Foggy Paradise).
The festival’s gala section features crowdpleasers such as Yorgos Lanthimos’ Venice Golden Lion winner Poor Things, Tran Anh Hung’s Cannes best director contender The Taste of Things and Taika Waititi’s soccer comedy Next Goal Wins. The festival will also celebrate the works of Yasujiro Ozu with a major retrospective of 33 of his films.
Tokyo International Youth Film Festival
The oldest film festival in Japan has maintained its prominence among the world’s cinema fests. It features a diverse lineup of movies, and its screenings are often sold out.
The program is largely dominated by Japanese films. However, this year’s festival is establishing closer ties to Asia and boosting the size of its programme.
For example, the festival is holding its first ever Asian Future competition to spotlight rising directors with up to three features under their belts. This year’s lineup includes US film The Persian Version by Maryam Keshavarz, a Berlinale Generation Kplus selection titled Air by Venice Silver Lion-winning director Alexey German Jr, and Filipino director Sheron Dayoc’s elegy for music icon Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Other highlights include a remastering of Japanese director Satsuo Yamamoto’s ‘Shoulders of Giants’ and two digitally restored works from Jojo Hideo, who is active across several genres.