Australian filmmaker Rolf de Heer will lead the international competition jury at the upcoming 39th Tokyo International Film Festival.

The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) has appointed Australian director Rolf de Heer as president of its international competition jury for the festival's 39th edition. De Heer, a Tasmanian-based filmmaker with a career spanning over four decades, will oversee the competition selection. In addition to his jury duties, his 2022 film "The Survival of Kindness" will be featured as part of the festival's Australia Spotlight, a showcase organized in collaboration with the Australian Embassy in Japan.

Career and Filmography

De Heer is a graduate of the Australian Film, Television and Radio School and has written or co-written 14 feature screenplays. His extensive filmography includes 15 and a half feature films, 16 fiction films as a producer or co-producer, and five documentaries. Throughout his career, he has gained international recognition, including four official selections at the Cannes Film Festival. His notable works include "Bad Boy Bubby" (1993), which secured the Special Jury Prize and the Fipresci Prize at the Venice International Film Festival, and "Ten Canoes" (2006), which won the Special Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes. His collaborations with the late Australian Indigenous actor David Gulpilil, such as "The Tracker" (2002) and "Charlie’s Country" (2013), are considered career highlights. The latter earned Gulpilil a best actor award at Cannes, while "Alexandra’s Project" (2003) earned Helen Buday a best actress award at the San Sebastian Film Festival.

Festival Expectations

TIFF festival director Hisamatsu Takeo praised de Heer’s commitment to cinema and his unique perspective, noting that the festival looks forward to the insights he will bring to the competition. De Heer expressed enthusiasm for the role, emphasizing the opportunity to view and discuss 15 competition films from filmmakers around the world. He noted that the experience serves as a professional privilege, particularly given Tokyo's reputation for having a formidable film culture.