"Talents Tokyo 2025" Participants Announced and Program Revealed, Featuring Inaugural Alumni Film Screenings and Director Talks

TOKYO, September 30, 2025 – The Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG), the Arts Council Tokyo (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture) and Talents Tokyo Organizing Committee jointly announced today the participants and program details for Talents Tokyo 2025. In addition, prior to the event, there will be a first-ever screening of films by acclaimed Talents Tokyo alumni followed by a series of expert talks, including one featuring alumni directors such as Chie Hayakawa in conversation with celebrated filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda.

The TMG and the Arts Council Tokyo have jointly organized this film-focused talent-development initiative with the Talents Tokyo Organizing Committee since 2010.In cooperation with Berlinale Talents and collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Tokyo, the event operates as the exclusive Asian counterpart to Berlinale Talents, a talent-development program held during the annual Berlin International Film Festival.

For the 16^th edition of the event this year, under the theme “Tough Enough to Stay Vulnerable,” 17 talented participants from East and Southeast Asia will join the program alongside four globally renowned professionals who will participate as main lecturers to develop and present their feature-length projects, and expand their networks through collaborations with filmmakers.

An inaugural screening of films by Talents Tokyo alumni will be held at the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum on November 8 and 9, prior to Talents Tokyo 2025. The screening will feature three films: Director Chie Hayakawa’s “Renoir,”which was an entry in the competition section of this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Director Pham Ngoc Lan’s “Cu Li Never Cries”and Director Nelicia Low's“Pierce.”Following the screening of Renoir on November 8, a talk session will be held with directors Chie Hayakawa, an alum of Talents Tokyo 2014, and Hirokazu Kore-eda.

For event details, please refer to the appendix.