Organizers of the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) announced today that the Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi will serve as the President of the International Competition Jury.

Zhang Ziyi has gained worldwide recognition through her outstanding performances in a wide variety of films. She made her cinema debut in Zhang Yimou’s The Road Home in 2000, which won three Awards at the Berlinale Film Festival. She gained international fame for her performance in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Drago directed by Ang Lee. She later worked in films like Memoirs of a Geisha (Rob Marshall), The Grandmaster (Wong Kar-wai), Zero (Zhang Yimou), House of Flying Daggers (Zhang Yimou), Princess Racoon (Seijun Suzuki). She will also be appearing in the upcoming films Godzilla: King of the Monsters (Michael Doughery) and Climbers by Daniel Lee.

Festivals are not new to her as she served as a jury member at the Cannes Film Festival several times, for the Main Competition in 2006, the Cinéfondation in 2009, and Un Certain Regard in 2013; as well as serving on the Platform jury at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2016. In 2013, Ms. Zhang was decorated with the Order of Arts and Letters Chevalier, a French honor that recognizes significant contributions to the arts and literature.

Ms. Zhang attended the Beijing Dance Academy, where she studied traditional folk dance for six years. Upon graduating, she applied by chance to study at China’s most prestigious drama academy, the Central Drama College, and thus began her acting career.

The Festival Director of the TIFF, Takeo Hisamatsu, commented: “We are so thrilled to welcome Zhang Ziyi as the President of the Competition jury. Hailing from China, she is recognized as one of the leading actresses in the world, but the impact she made in her first feature film The Road Home is still unforgettable. She later starred in Princess Raccoon, Seijun Suzuki’s final film, which earned her many Japanese fans. We are very much looking forward to working with her at this year’s TIFF, and we feel certain that it will be a rewarding experience for all of us.”

Zhang Ziyi also commented: “When I first came to Tokyo, it was as a young actor who was traveling outside of China with her first feature film. I was immensely touched by the warmth of the reception for The Road Home and witnessed first-hand the love and passion that Japan has for the art of movie-making.

That my first feature would be well received by movie audiences everywhere in the world, including Japan, showed me the power of this visual form of storytelling, of its ability to express universally felt sorrow and joy. For a young actor, this was an amazing revelation.

To be invited to participate in the Tokyo International Film Festival gives me great joy as it will allow me to spend time with movie-loving fans in Japan. To preside over the Jury this year fills me with great humility as this will present an exceptional experience for me to work with my distinguished fellow film-makers to discover and celebrate great films.”

We remind readers that the 32nd Tokyo International Film Festival will take place from October 28th until November 5th at Roppongi Hills, EX Theater and other venues in Tokyo.

FOR FILMMAKERS: Please bear in mind that the festival is still accepting films, here you can film more information about their Call for Entry: GO CALL FOR ENTRY.