Sharifah Amani, Meryl Streep and more at Tokyo Film Fest opening
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Sharifah Amani, Meryl Streep and more at Tokyo Film Fest opening


(L-R) Sherry Alhadad and Sharifah Amani at the Tokyo International Film Festival red carpet.

26 Oct – The 29th edition of the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) proved to be another star-studded event as it was once again attended by at least one Hollywood A-lister, this time being the legendary Meryl Streep along with well-known personalities from the regional film industry.

At the glamourous opening red carpet event held yesterday, 25 October 2016, at the Roppongi Hills Arena in Tokyo, Malaysia was represented by actress Sharifah Amani and Sherry Alhadad who are part of the omnibus film, "Asian Three-Fold Mirror 2016: Reflections", an Asia-focused film culture exchange initiative by TIFF and the Japan Foundation Asia Center which would finally be unveiled at the festival.

The duo walked the red carpet with director Isao Yukisada, where an enthusiastic Sharifah expressed that she was excited to be in Tokyo and to be walking on the same red carpet as Meryl Streep whom she hopes to meet at the event.


Even Meryl Streep can't believe she's in Tokyo with us.

As Indonesia is the focus of this year's Crosscut Asia section, several Indonesian stars had also graced the red carpet. Among them was the director of "Emma", Riri Riza, along with his cast, Cut Mini, Jajang C. Noor, and actor Nicholas Saputra for his film, "Someone's Wife in the Boat of Someone's Husband".

"It's great to be in Tokyo for this film festival. I would like to work with some Japanese filmmakers in the future," said Saputra when asked what it was like attending TIFF this year.

Singapore's current top filmmaker, Boo Junfeng, was also in attendance as he is at the festival to screen his movie "Apprentice" over the weekend, which will then be making its way to Malaysia this November.

On picking Malaysian actor Wan Hanafi Su to star in his psychological drama about a correctional officer, Boo said that when he was in Malaysia he had gone to local DVD shops and had picked out many Malaysian films in order to find the perfect veteran actor for his film.

"I'm really excited to premiere the film in Tokyo, and I can't wait for it to go to Malaysia next month as well. I hope the audiences would really love it," added the 32-year-old whose film was also screened at the Un Certain Regard section at the recent 2016 Cannes Film Festival.

One of the most anticipated entries of the Competition section is the Hong Kong film, "Shed Skin Papa", thus it was expected that director Roy Szeto would bring his star-studded cast, Francis Ng, Louis Koo and Jessie Li to Tokyo to meet their fans.

As the TIFF opening event neared its grand finale, Meryl Streep finally stepped onto the red carpet to meet the fans and press members who had been waiting in the rain to meet the A-lister. The 67-year-old is in town to promote her film "Florence Foster Jenkins" (albeit without her co-star Hugh Grant) as the film had been selected as the festival's opening film for this year.

Not to be outdone by Hollywood, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the top honour of being the red carpet's final guest of the night.

Cinema Online is live at the 29th edition of the Tokyo International Film Festival which has commenced since 25 October and will run until 3 November 2016. Sixteen films from around the region will be competing for the Tokyo Grand Prix prize under the Competition Section.

To view photos from the Tokyo International Film Festival, click HERE.

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