Carlo Chatrian will preside over the international competition jury at this year’s Tokyo International Film Festival.
The Italian film executive previously ran two of Europe’s most prominent festivals, directing Locarno from 2013-2018 and Berlin from 2020-2024.
Chatrian’s Berlin tenure was marked by notable policy changes, particularly the elimination of gendered acting categories in favor of performance-based awards. The move influenced similar reforms at other international festivals and established Berlin’s reputation for progressive industry practices.
He has maintained strong connections to Japanese cinema through various programming initiatives and multiple visits to Tokyo for the festival. His background includes extensive work as a film critic and academic, with published works on documentary filmmakers and Italian cinema.
“It is a great privilege to chair the jury of the Tokyo International Film Festival, an event that, especially under the new direction, has become a vital meeting point for the art of cinema at a global level,” Chatrian said. “I thank the chair Ando-san and the programming director Ichiyama-san for giving me this opportunity. I’m looking forward to discovering the selection, as I’m sure I will be inspired and touched by the work of the filmmakers. I’m equally excited to know my fellow jurors and start engaging with them in rich and nourishing conversations.”
TIFF chair Ando Hiroyasu added: “Mr. Chatrian has extensive experience both as a film critic and as a director of prestigious film festivals like Locarno and Berlin. He most recently participated in the Tokyo International Film Festival in 2021 and 2023, giving us the privilege of witnessing his keen insight and unwavering passion for cinema firsthand. Amid a period of profound global transformation, we are truly looking forward to the insights he will bring through his role as a jury president.”
Currently directing Turin’s National Museum of Cinema, Chatrian maintains memberships in both the Motion Picture Academy and Italy’s film academy. His journalism career includes work for La Stampa and various film publications.
The festival runs Oct. 27-Nov. 5 across Tokyo’s central entertainment district, with the industry market TIFFCOM scheduled for Oct. 29-31.
