The international competition jury for the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival now has a president: Rolf de Heer. The Australian director has lived and worked in Tasmania for more than 40 years, directing, writing and producing films on subjects and in genres that run the full range.
Today the festival made the announcement about the appointment. De Heer has had a career that includes four films making the official selection at Cannes, with “Ten Canoes” (2006) being one of them, winning the Special Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section.
“For any of us attending the Tokyo International Film Festival, it is a privilege,” de Heer said. “For me, as a filmmaker, it is even more so. The more films I manage to make, the fewer films I manage to see, especially on the big screen. But as a part of this jury, I have the duty, the obligation, to see at least 15 films and talk about them with other filmmakers.”
De Heer’s Career In Numbers
De Heer studied at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School. He has put his name to the writing of 14 feature films. As a director, he has directed 15 and a half features across various budgets and genres, and he has produced or co-produced 16 fiction films along with five documentaries.
His career highlights include:
- “Dingo” (1991), starring Colin Friels and jazz musician Miles Davis
- “The Tracker” (2002), which began de Heer’s collaborations with Australian Aboriginal actor David Gulpilil
- “Charlie’s Country” (2013), for which Gulpilil won the best actor award at Cannes
- “Alexandra’s Project” (2003), earning Helen Buday a best actress award at the San Sebastian Film Festival after the film screened in competition at the Berlin Film Festival
The Films That Won Him Attention
He took home the Special Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival for his 1993 feature “Bad Boy Bubby”, which also claimed the festival’s Fipresci Prize. Four of his films have been included in the official selection at Cannes, including “Ten Canoes”, which won the Special Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section, released in 2006.
This year’s World Focus lineup at TIFF will include Australia Spotlight, a dedicated showcase of Australian cinema mounted with the Australian Embassy in Japan. The series will screen de Heer’s “The Survival of Kindness” (2022), a competition entry at the 73rd Berlin Film Festival that went on to win the Fipresci Prize there.
The Tokyo Appointment
Hisamatsu Takeo, festival director of TIFF, said he was delighted to welcome de Heer as jury president. “With his distinctive perspective and unwavering commitment to filmmaking, de Heer has spent decades opening up new possibilities in cinema,” Hisamatsu said. “We look forward to the fresh dialogue and discoveries that his wealth of experience and deep insight will bring to this year’s Competition and its diverse selection of films.”
The 39th TIFF will run Oct. 26-Nov. 4. TIFFCOM, the festival’s industry market, will take place Oct. 28-30.
A Duty To See 15 Films
The director’s remarks come across as modest rather than boastful. He admits that filmmaking consumes hours that might otherwise be spent watching movies, and he regards the jury assignment as a way to correct that imbalance. De Heer says that viewing at least 15 films and discussing them with fellow filmmakers is both a duty and an obligation.
The festival’s director framed the appointment as a matter of perspective. Hisamatsu noted de Heer’s distinctive approach to filmmaking and his decades of work, describing the director’s contributions as opening up new possibilities in cinema.
The Films On Screen In Tokyo
The Australia Spotlight series at TIFF will include de Heer’s “The Survival of Kindness” (2022). That film competed at the 73rd Berlin Film Festival and went on to win the Fipresci Prize there. Its inclusion in the Tokyo lineup means audiences will have a chance to see the film alongside other Australian titles.
The World Focus lineup also includes the spotlight series, which is mounted with the Australian Embassy in Japan. The festival’s official selection will draw from a wide pool of international submissions, and de Heer’s jury will decide which films receive recognition.
The Dates To Remember
The 39th Tokyo International Film Festival runs Oct. 26-Nov. 4. TIFFCOM, the festival’s industry market, takes place Oct. 28-30.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| TIFF begins | Oct. 26 |
| TIFF ends | Nov. 4 |
| TIFFCOM begins | Oct. 28 |
| TIFFCOM ends | Oct. 30 |
Why This Matters
De Heer’s appointment brings a powerful creative voice to the jury. His work has crossed several continents and film cultures, building a notable body of work along the way.
The timing also works in de Heer’s favor. His recent film “The Survival of Kindness” won the Fipresci Prize at Berlin, and its presence in the Tokyo lineup means the jury will be evaluating a film that has already received international attention.
It falls to the jury to pick the winners from the pool of competition entries.
A Career Built On Tasmania
More than 40 years have passed since De Heer arrived in Tasmania, a remote Australian island, and his work there has taken films to Venice, Cannes and Berlin, building a reputation that has grown steadily across many years.
Awards at major film festivals have come to his work, and his partnerships with actors such as David Gulpilil now form part of the most recent period of Australian cinema.
That appointment serves as proof of how much Australian film has advanced, given the director’s particular history.
What Comes Next For De Heer
The judging work starts in October for De Heer, who will view a minimum of 15 films and discuss them with fellow filmmakers, as he explained when accepting his role. The results of his efforts will be revealed during the event itself.
The choice of de Heer as jury president signals faith in his judgment. His career has already shown his skill at judging films, and his jury work gives him a stage to spread that with more viewers.
For its 39th edition, the Tokyo International Film Festival has appointed Australian director Rolf de Heer to lead the international competition jury.
Key Facts Box
- De Heer has spent more than 40 years in Tasmania
- Jury president for the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival
- De Heer has written or co-written 14 feature screenplays
- His director’s credits run to 15 and a half features
- His films have won prizes at Venice, Cannes and Berlin
Source material: “Rolf de Heer Named President of Tokyo Film Festival Jury,” Variety.
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