The Tokyo International Film Festival has appointed Hisamatsu Takeo as its new Festival Director, marking a return engagement for the veteran executive who previously held the role from 2017 to 2021. He replaces outgoing chairman Ando Hiroyasu, who will step down on May 31.
Takeo officially begins his new tenure on April 14, according to Deadline. A longtime industry figure with stints at Warner Bros. Pictures Japan and Shochiku, he also founded his own company, My Way Movies, before his first appointment with the festival.
"During my previous tenure, I championed the vision of Entertainment and Art in Symmetry," Takeo said in a statement. "Through a diverse lineup of films and events, we aimed to create a festival filled with a sense of celebration, which ultimately contributed to an increase in attendance."
Hiroyasu leaves behind a legacy of significant changes, including relocating the festival's main hub from Roppongi to the Hibiya-Yurakucho Marunouchi-Ginza area. He was recently awarded the Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government. In his departing statement, he acknowledged that while the festival "achieved tangible success" during his leadership, "TIFF is still a work in progress and therefore must continue to strive for even greater heights."
Takeo emphasized the growing importance of Japan's content industry, noting that the government has positioned it as a vital growth sector. He pledged to ensure the festival plays a central role in both deepening cultural value and promoting commercial development in the film industry.
