Tokyo jury president says FIAPF A-list status changes little for the festival
At the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival's jury press conference, president Rolf de Heer said FIAPF's official A-list status makes little difference, since Tokyo was already seen as an A festival.
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The story, neutrally told
Left · 2At the competition jury press conference of the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival on Tuesday 27 October 2026, jury president Rolf de Heer said Tokyo's inclusion in FIAPF's A-list does not change much for the festival. VarietyLC “is unlikely to change much about the event, according to the filmmaker leading its competition jury” Read at Variety ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC “specifically about Tokyo’s recent inclusion as an “A-list” event by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF)” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Left · 2De Heer said Tokyo had always been considered one of those festivals by most people who attend festivals and was effectively an A festival, so he did not think the listing made a lot of difference. VarietyLC “Tokyo was effectively an A festival. And so in that sense, I don’t think it makes a lot of difference,” Read at Variety ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC “Tokyo was effectively an ‘A’ festival.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Left · 1He allowed that such categorisation seems to be gaining importance in the quality of films a festival can attract, so being officially an A festival again may help, but he did not think it changes the festival much. VarietyLC “it may help that it is officially now again A, but I don’t think it changes the festival so much,” Read at Variety ↗
Left · 2Asked whether the tier system was redundant, de Heer replied: "It matters a great deal to some people, and not at all to others. And that is as it should be." The Hollywood ReporterLC ““It matters a great deal to some people, and not at all to others. And that is as it should be.”” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ VarietyLC “de Heer offered a final word: “It matters a great deal to some people, and not at all to others. And that is as it should be.”” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 2Korean producer Oh Jungwan said she was not a film festival person and did not know what A-list means, guessing it means good, and that audiences go to watch films and enjoy the festival feeling rather than for the ranking. VarietyLC ““So I don’t know what is A-list or not. So maybe probably A-list means good” Read at Variety ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC “I’m not a film festival person, so I don’t know what is A-list or not.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Left · 1Variety reports that in March FIAPF replaced its four-category accreditation system with a single list and named 17 festivals as A-list, including Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Toronto, Busan, Shanghai, Cairo and Tokyo; Busan and Toronto were new to it. VarietyLC “replaced its four-category accreditation system with a single list and designated 17 festivals as A-list” Read at Variety ↗
Left · 2According to The Hollywood Reporter, producer Alex C. Lo later said Tokyo's reputation rests on world-leading hospitality and an attentive, curious audience; Variety says the other three jurors did not weigh in on the A-list question. The Hollywood ReporterLC “world-leading festival hospitality and an exceptionally attentive, intellectually curious audience” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ VarietyLC “did not weigh in on the question” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 2The five-member jury, which also includes colorist Yov Moor and actress Makiko Watanabe, will choose the Tokyo Grand Prix from 15 competition films; the festival runs through 4 November. VarietyLC “The five-member panel will choose the Tokyo Grand Prix from 15 competition titles. The festival runs through Nov. 4.” Read at Variety ↗ The Hollywood ReporterLC “Yov Moor; leading South Korean producer Oh Jungwan; veteran Japanese actress Makiko Watanabe” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Left · 2On handling disagreements, de Heer said he was sure the jury could avoid a lesser compromise film, while Oh recalled once arguing for seven hours for a film and joked she hoped not to fight him that long. The Hollywood ReporterLC “I fought for 7 hours with another jury!” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ VarietyLC “we don’t end up with some sort of lesser compromised film” Read at Variety ↗
Left · 2De Heer also said it makes no sense for a Japanese film to shoot in Australia or vice versa, noting that Europe does co-productions on a financial basis while workable Australia-Japan ones need a natural story. The Hollywood ReporterLC ““It makes no sense for a Japanese film to shoot in Australia, or it makes no sense for an Australian film to shoot in Japan,”” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ VarietyLC ““a natural story where some things need to be shot in Japan, some things need to be shot in Australia”” Read at Variety ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets report the press conference as a light, quote-led piece; Variety leads on the FIAPF A-list question, while The Hollywood Reporter treats it as one highlight of a genteel, politics-free event.
- Emphasis
- De Heer's remarks that A-list status matters little; jury banter about fighting over films; Australia-Japan co-productions.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither gives critics of the tier system a voice beyond the unnamed journalist Variety mentions; The Hollywood Reporter does not explain the March FIAPF change.
- Charged language
- “lively conversation”“genteel”“cryptically”
- For example
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“A lively discussion about the global standing of the Tokyo International Film Festival — and whether such considerations even matter — was the highlight of a rather genteel competition jury press conference on Tuesday.” — The Hollywood Reporter
“FIAPF’s decision to make A-list status official, with Tokyo among the 17 festivals named, is unlikely to change much about the event” — Variety
Centre1 outlet
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- De Heer heads the 2026 Tokyo competition jury alongside Yov Moor, Oh Jungwan, Makiko Watanabe and Alex C. Lo.
- De Heer said Tokyo was effectively already an A festival and the listing makes little difference.
- The jury will choose the Tokyo Grand Prix from 15 competition films.
Rolf de Heer person
Says Tokyo was effectively already an A festival so the official status changes little, though it may help attract films; the ranking matters to some and not others.
“it may help that it is officially now again A, but I don’t think it changes the festival so much,” — Variety
““It matters a great deal to some people, and not at all to others. And that is as it should be.”” — The Hollywood Reporter
Left2 articles
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Tokyo: Competition Jury Discusses Event’s ‘A-List’ Status, Fighting Over Favorite Films
Neutral Colourful press-conference report highlighting the A-list exchange and jury camaraderie, with a note on the absence of politics.
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Neutral News-led report centred on de Heer's view of FIAPF's new A-list, with background on the March change.
Centre1 article
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 27 Oct 03:29 First The Hollywood ReporterLC Tokyo: Competition Jury Discusses Event’s ‘A-List’ Status, Fighting Over Favorite Films
- 27 Oct 03:41 +12m VarietyLC Tokyo Jury President Rolf de Heer on FIAPF’s New A-List: ‘It Matters a Great Deal to Some People, and Not at All to Others’
- 27 Oct 04:40 +1h 11m DeadlineN Rolf de Heer & Fellow Tokyo Jury Members Talk Festival ‘A-List’ Ratings, Co-Production & How To Judge Films
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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