Japanese industry leaders are exploring new ways to honor the people behind the continued global growth of anime.
According to Variety, Tokyo Anime Next will hold a conference at this year’s Tokyo International Film Festival’s TIFFCOM market titled: “Toward the Launch of a New Anime Award in 2027.”
Set for October 30, the discussion will examine the possibility of establishing an international award spearheaded by members of Japan’s animation industry.
According to the festival, the conversation will focus not only on individual anime titles but also on the creators, producers, and studios behind the work that continues to shape the beloved Japanese art form. Akira Shimizu, president and representative director of A-1 Pictures and a director of the Association of Japanese Animations, is among the speakers announced for the event.
Ryota Fujitsu, the programming advisor for the festival’s animation section, will serve as moderator. The festival is also set to host three additional animation conferences featuring directors from Japan and other countries.
The proposed award is part of a larger festival program that connects the history of Japanese cinema with its future. A 13-film retrospective will celebrate director Kenji Mizoguchi on the 70th anniversary of his death. The lineup includes a newly restored version of his 1933 film The Water Magician, which will screen in Japan for the first time in its restored form, along with Ugetsu and Sansho the Bailiff.
The festival will also celebrate the 10th anniversary of its Teens Cinema Workshop with a November 3 event featuring films created by former participants, as well as discussions with past mentors.
The 39th Tokyo International Film Festival is scheduled to run from October 26 through November 4, while TIFFCOM will take place from October 28-30.
