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Tokyo International Film Festival 2026 Opens October 26: 'Sukiyaki,' 'Godzilla Minus Zero' and 204 Films

TOKYO — Asia's largest film festival returns on October 26, 2026, as the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival opens with the world premiere of the musical drama Sukiyaki, anchors its program with a centerpiece screening of Godzilla Minus Zero, and closes with Korean zombie blockbuster Colony — a 10-day program of 204 films from 112 countries across the Yurakucho, Marunouchi and Ginza districts.

Concept illustration of a giant monster silhouette looming over a city skyline at night

Illustration: 'Godzilla Minus Zero,' the follow-up to the Oscar-winning 'Godzilla Minus One,' screens as the festival centerpiece on Nov. 1. This is an AI-generated concept illustration, not a real photograph.

What Happened

Festival organizers unveiled the full lineup on October 1, and the marquee slots tell a story of Japanese popular culture going global. Opening the festival on October 26 is Sukiyaki, directed by Zeze Takahisa, a musical drama about the creation of "Ue o Muite Arukou" — the song known internationally as "Sukiyaki," which became the first Japanese song to top the US Billboard chart in 1963. The film follows the three creative forces behind the hit: composer Nakamura Hachidai, lyricist Ei Rokusuke and singer Sakamoto Kyu, played by Junichi Okada, Tori Matsuzaka and Taiga Nakano. The 155-minute film will be released theatrically in Japan by Toho on December 25.

The centerpiece screening on November 1 belongs to Godzilla Minus Zero, Takashi Yamazaki's follow-up to the Academy Award-winning Godzilla Minus One. Set in 1949, two years after the first film, it continues the story of the Shikishima family facing an all-new disaster, with Ryunosuke Kamiki returning as Koichi Shikishima alongside Minami Hamabe as Noriko Oishi. The production is the first Japanese film ever shot for IMAX, and Toho will release it locally on November 3.

Closing the festival on November 4 is Colony, the latest zombie thriller from Train to Busan director Yeon Sang-ho. The film premiered at Cannes and has earned $44.3 million at the Korean box office, making it the fourth highest-grossing Korean title of the year to date.

Background

This year's edition is the biggest in the festival's history: 204 films from 112 countries and regions, up from 184 titles last year. Thirty-five are world premieres, and 83 Japanese productions account for roughly 40 percent of the program. The main competition features 15 films vying for the Tokyo Grand Prix — seven world premieres and eight Asian premieres — positioning the festival as both a launchpad for new work and a regional showcase.

Dutch-Australian director Rolf de Heer will serve as jury president of the international competition, while singer-actor Kento Nakajima serves as the festival's navigator and public face. Beyond the competition, the gala program ranges from Tony Gilroy's Behemoth! and Cristian Mungiu's Fjord to Martin McDonagh's Wild Horse Nine, Wayne Wang's Diary of a Mad Old Man and Rodrigo Sorogoyen's Spanish drama The Beloved. The Crosscut Asia section highlights emerging Southeast Asian cinema, and a classics program honors director Kenji Mizoguchi with 13 digitally restored films across 12 programs, marking 70 years since the filmmaker's death.

Concept illustration of a 1960s Japanese recording studio with a singer at a vintage microphone

Illustration: Opening film 'Sukiyaki' tells the story behind Kyu Sakamoto's 1963 chart-topping hit. This is an AI-generated concept illustration, not a real photograph.


 

Why It Matters

Tokyo's festival has spent four decades building its reputation as the essential meeting point between Japanese cinema and the world — and this year's lineup leans into that identity. Pairing a music drama about Japan's first global pop hit with a Godzilla sequel carrying an Oscar pedigree frames the festival as a celebration of Japanese popular culture's worldwide reach, while the competition's emphasis on Asian premieres keeps its discovery mission intact.

Godzilla Minus Zero's centerpiece slot is a particular statement: the first film's visual-effects Oscar gave the franchise a prestige few blockbusters enjoy, and its IMAX-shot sequel arriving as a festival centerpiece — days before its theatrical release — turns Tokyo into the global launchpad for one of the year's most anticipated films.

What Happens Next

The festival opens October 26 and runs through November 4, with screenings, premieres and industry events across central Tokyo. The competition jury will announce its winners — including the Tokyo Grand Prix — at the closing ceremony, and the programmers' mix of world premieres and restored classics means discoveries will be unfolding on screens across the Ginza district for the full ten days.

Concept illustration of a red-carpet film premiere in Tokyo's Ginza district at night

Illustration: The 39th Tokyo International Film Festival runs Oct. 26-Nov. 4 across the Yurakucho, Marunouchi and Ginza districts. This is an AI-generated concept illustration, not a real photograph.

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FAQ

When does the 2026 Tokyo International Film Festival run?

The 39th edition runs from October 26 to November 4, 2026, with screenings and events in Tokyo's Yurakucho, Marunouchi and Ginza districts.

What is the opening film?

Sukiyaki, a musical drama by Zeze Takahisa about the creation of Kyu Sakamoto's 1963 hit "Ue o Muite Arukou" — the first Japanese song to top the US Billboard chart. It stars Junichi Okada, Tori Matsuzaka and Taiga Nakano.

What is Godzilla Minus Zero?

It is Takashi Yamazaki's sequel to the Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One, set in 1949 and following the Shikishima family through a new disaster. It is the first Japanese film shot for IMAX and screens as the festival's centerpiece on November 1.

How many films are screening this year?

204 films from 112 countries and regions — the largest lineup in festival history — including 35 world premieres and a 15-film main competition for the Tokyo Grand Prix.

Who is leading the competition jury?

Dutch-Australian director Rolf de Heer serves as jury president of the international competition, with Japanese singer-actor Kento Nakajima as the festival's navigator and public face.

Sources

  • Screen Daily — "'Sukiyaki', 'Colony' to bookend Tokyo with 'Godzilla Minus Zero' as centerpiece" (2026)
  • Gazettely — "Tokyo Film Festival Unveils 2026 Lineup With 'Godzilla Minus Zero' as Centerpiece" (October 2026)
  • WDC News 6 — "2026 Tokyo Film Festival Lineup: Full List" (October 2026)
  • Filmofilia — "Tokyo Film Festival 2026 Reveals 15-Film Competition" (October 2026)
  • 39th Tokyo International Film Festival — official site, 2026.tiff-jp.net

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