Now that the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us, we want this year's film festival to be our most successful event to date. Along with increasing the number of featured films by over 20% from last year, we have further enhanced collaborative efforts with government organizations and corporations in the Hibiya and Marunouchi area to liven the atmosphere of our festival.

This year also happens to be the 120th anniversary of the birth of legendary Japanese film director Ozu Yasujiro, and we would like to pay our respects to him and his wonderful achievements. Not only are we screening the majority of his films, but we are also holding various events to celebrate his work.

In addition, we are earnestly striving to promote discussion among members of the film industry from overseas as well, which has been a challenge of ours for the past several years.

As we expect increased guest attendance including filmmakers from across the world, we hope this festival serves as a fruitful opportunity for international exchange.

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.