The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) has confirmed that veteran Australian filmmaker Rolf de Heer will serve as president of the International Competition jury for its 39th edition. The festival runs from October 26 to November 4, with the industry market TIFFCOM scheduled for October 28-30. De Heer’s appointment places him at the centre of a program that showcases a diverse slate of global cinema, and it also gives him a platform to champion Australian works through a dedicated Australia Spotlight showcase.
Rolf de Heer’s four-decade career in a nutshell
Born in Tasmania, de Heer has spent more than 40 years honing a craft that spans drama, comedy, documentary and genre pieces. Early milestones include the cult classic Bad Boy Bubby (1993), which captured the Special Jury Prize and the FIPRESCI Prize at the Venice Film Festival. The 1991 road-movie Dingo paired actor Colin Friels with jazz legend Miles Davis, while The Quiet Room (1996) and Dance Me To My Song (1998) both earned competition slots at Cannes.
Four of de Heer’s titles have appeared in Cannes’ Official Selection, most notably Ten Canoes (2006), which won the Special Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section. Mid-career highlights include The Tracker (2002), a Venice competition entry that marked the beginning of his long-standing collaboration with Indigenous Australian star David Gulpilil, and Alexandra’s Project (2003), which secured a Best Actress award for Helen Buday at San Sebastian. Later works such as The King Is Dead! (2012) and Charlie’s Country (2013) continued to earn accolades, the latter giving Gulpilil a Best Actor prize at Cannes.
Tokyo’s spotlight on Australian cinema
As part of the festival’s World Focus programme, the Australia Spotlight will screen de Heer’s most recent feature, The Survival of Kindness (2022). The film entered the competition at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival and took home the festival’s FIPRESCI Prize. Its inclusion in Tokyo underscores an ongoing partnership between TIFF and the Australian Embassy in Japan, aimed at bringing Australian storytelling to Japanese audiences.
Beyond showcasing his own work, de Heer’s role as jury president obliges him to watch and discuss at least fifteen competition titles with fellow filmmakers. He summed up the experience in a candid statement: “For any of us attending the Tokyo International Film Festival, it is a privilege. 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!”
Festival director Takeo Hisamatsu on the appointment
TIFF’s artistic director, Takeo Hisamatsu praised the choice, noting de Heer’s distinctive vision and his history of expanding cinematic possibilities. “We are delighted to welcome Rolf de Heer as President of the International Competition jury at the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival. With his distinctive perspective and unwavering commitment to filmmaking, de Heer has spent decades opening up new possibilities in cinema. 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,” Hisamatsu said.
The combination of de Heer’s extensive résumé, his active involvement in the Australia Spotlight, and the prestige of the Tokyo International Film Festival promises a vibrant dialogue between Asian and Oceanic film cultures. As the city’s audience prepares for a week-long celebration of cinema, the expectation is that the competition will feature a rich tapestry of storytelling, from auteur-driven narratives to bold genre experiments.
What the jury’s mandate means for filmmakers
Being part of the competition jury places de Heer at the forefront of evaluating emerging talent from around the globe. The jury’s decisions can launch careers, attract distribution deals, and shape the festival’s critical reputation. For directors, screenwriters and producers, the chance to have their work examined by a filmmaker of de Heer’s stature—who has written or co-written 14 screenplays, directed roughly 15½ features, and produced 16 fiction films and five documentaries—represents a rare form of validation.
As TIFF approaches, industry insiders anticipate a robust lineup that reflects current trends in international cinema while offering a platform for under-represented voices. De Heer’s presence both as jury president and as a featured filmmaker underscores the festival’s commitment to bridging geographical gaps and celebrating cinematic diversity.
