Tokyo Festival’s Women’s Empowerment Lineup Follows Those Who ‘Fall Through the Cracks’
The Tokyo International Film Festival’s Women’s Empowerment section centres on people displaced or excluded by political instability and social systems, a theme programmer Shimizu Yu says reflects those who “fall through the cracks”. Now in its third year, the programme aims to affirm viewers’ experiences through detailed portrayals while highlighting films by women.
The section includes seven films, among them Manuela Martelli’s *The Meltdown* and Zou Jing’s *A Girl Unknown*. Alongside screenings, the “Her Gaze” event spotlights women cinematographers from Japan and Taiwan, including pioneers in technical roles historically dominated by men. Organisers also plan to expand the section into new areas, while Shimizu says the films are selected on their merits and that experimental cinema can challenge how women are viewed on screen.
In short
- TIFF’s seven-film section explores people excluded by social and political systems.
- “Her Gaze” highlights women cinematographers from Japan and Taiwan.
- Organisers hope to expand the programme in future years.
Explained simply
The Tokyo International Film Festival is an annual event that screens films from Japan and around the world. Its Women’s Empowerment section, now in its third year, highlights films made by women and stories about people who are overlooked or pushed to the margins by political and social circumstances.
The programme includes seven films, with screenings and an event featuring women cinematographers from Japan and Taiwan. Cinematographers shape how a film looks through camera work and lighting, roles that have often been held by men. The section gives viewers a chance to encounter these films and learn about women working in that part of the industry.
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