# Rolf de Heer to lead Tokyo film festival international jury

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/australian-director-rolf-de-heer-appointed-jury-president-for-tokyo-film-festivals-39th-edition/
- Published: 2026-09-24T02:10:14+00:00
- Updated: 2026-09-24T08:29:35+00:00
- Topics: Art, Culture, Entertainment, Film, Government, Politics

## Key points

- Rolf de Heer will chair Tokyo’s International Competition jury.
- His film The Survival of Kindness will screen in Tokyo.
- The festival runs from 26 October to 4 November.

## Summary

Australian director Rolf de Heer has been appointed president of the International Competition jury at the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival, running from 26 October to 4 November. The role recognises his more than 40-year career and international standing, while his 2022 film The Survival of Kindness will screen in the festival’s Australia Spotlight showcase.

De Heer’s notable films include Bad Boy Bubby, The Tracker, Ten Canoes and Charlie’s Country, with work selected for major festivals including Cannes, Venice and Berlin. He will oversee discussions on at least 15 competition films from around the world; TIFFCOM, the festival’s contents market, will take place from 28 to 30 October.

## Coverage

- [Variety: Rolf de Heer Named President of Tokyo Film Festival Jury](https://variety.com/2026/film/festivals/rolf-de-heer-president-tokyo-film-festival-jury-1236872048/)
- [Deadline: Rolf De Heer To Head Competition Jury At Tokyo Film Festival; ‘The Survival Of Kindness’ To Play In Australia Spotlight](https://deadline.com/2026/09/rolf-de-heer-tokyo-film-festival-australia-spotlight-1237109848/)

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.