TIFF 2018: Teens Meet Cinema Special Project of 31st Tokyo International Film Festival Youth Section

Akiko Ooku

The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF), in collaboration with Children Meet Cinema, which runs filmmaking workshops for children, will present TIFF 2018: Teens Meet Cinema, a production workshop for junior high school students, as a special project of the festival’s Youth Section, following the success of last year’s workshop. This project strengthens TIFF’s vision, Enlightening, which aims to foster a future for film and to cultivate young talent.

With award-winning director Akiko OOKU, who received the Audience Award for Tremble All You Want at the 30th TIFF, as the lead mentor, students will develop a script, shoot and edit it with professional filmmakers and crew mainly in Roppongi, Tokyo, where TIFF is held from late July to late August 2018. The completed film will have its world premiere at the 31st Tokyo International Film Festival, to be held from October 25 to November 3, 2018 at Roppongi Hills and other venues in Tokyo.

Director Akiko OOKU 
Akiko Ooku was born in Yokohama in 1968. After graduating from Meiji University, she joined Production Jinrikisha School JCA to train as a comedian, and later entered the Film School of Tokyo in the inaugural class in 1997. Her directorial debut was Almost Die Hard (1999), and she is known for Tokyo Serendipity, Tokyo Nameless Girl’s Story, I’m Home, Jacqueline, Monster, and Fantastic Girls. Tremble All You Want won the Audience Award in the Competition Section at the 30th TIFF and the Best Film Award at the Japanese Professional Movie Awards. Her latest film, Marriage Hunting Beauty, is set for release in spring 2019.

TIFF 2018: Teens Meet Cinema 
Organized by: Unijapan　(31st Tokyo International Film Festival Executive Committee)
Co-organized by: Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Project organization: Children Meet Cinema

For further information on this project, e-mail: teens_meet_cinema@tiff-jp.net

Children Meet Cinema www.kodomoeiga.com    
Children Meet Cinema produces filmmaking workshops at schools and organizes symposia to promote a bright future for children and film.

31st Tokyo International Film Festival www.tiff-jp.net
Date: October 25 (Thu) – November 3 (Sat), 2018
Venues: Roppongi Hills, EX Theater Roppongi and other theaters in Tokyo
Market: TIFFCOM 2018 (Japan Content Showcase 2018) October 23 (Tue) – 25 (Thu)