Tokyo film festival to focus on homegrown movies

Homegrown movies will be in focus at the Tokyo International Film Festival next month as the event celebrates its 28th anniversary, organisers said Tuesday.

The festival will showcase popular Japanese horror movies directed by Hideo Nakata, best known abroad for the 1998 cult horror film "Ring".

A trio of new Japanese films will also be entered in the competition section, the festival's main attraction, and will be screened along with 13 other films from around the world -- selected from some 1,400 entries.

The event runs from October 22 through October 31.

Some classic Japanese films such as "Ran" directed by legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa will be screened in a high-definition 4K format. Films featuring actor Ken Takakura, who played a tough detective in Ridley Scott's "Black Rain", will also be among those screened.

Other programmes include the work of young directors from Asia and the Middle East.

Of 10 films to be featured in the Asia Future section, half were directed by women, organisers said.

Last year animated features were the focus of the festival.