Hisamatsu Takeo has been appointed as Festival Director at the Tokyo Film Festival, replacing Ando Hiroyasu, who is due to step down on May 31.
Takeo previously served as the Festival Director from 2017 to 2021.
Hiroyasu had been the festival chairman since 2019. Under his leadership, Tokyo relocated its main festival hub from Roppongi to the Hibiya-Yurakucho Marunouchi-Ginza area. Hiroyasu was recently awarded the Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government, with the award ceremony to be held on April 15.
Hiroyasu, in a statement, said the festival “achieved tangible success” during his time as Chairman, which was “reflected in the growth of our audience numbers, revenues, and number of international guests.”
“However, TIFF is still a work in progress and therefore must continue to strive for even greater heights. I sincerely appreciate your continued support and cooperation under the festival’s new leadership,” Hiroyasu said.
Takeo will begin his tenure on April 14. The longtime exec has had stints at Warner Bros. Pictures Japan and Shochiku. He launched his own company, My Way Movies, before joining the festival for his first stint in 2017.
“After five years since my last appointment with the Tokyo International Film Festival, it is a great honor to once again be given the opportunity to shoulder the significant responsibility of Festival Director,” he said in a statement.
“During my previous tenure, I championed the vision of Entertainment and Art in Symmetry. 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.”
He added: “The Japanese government has now positioned the content business as a vital growth sector and is strengthening its support. Given this opportunity, I will commit to ensuring that TIFF plays a key role in both deepening cultural value and promoting the commercial development of the film industry.”