The jury presents a unified front of artistic integrity, claiming that official rankings like 'A-list' are bureaucratic nonsense that don't impact the true spirit of cinema or the audience's experience.
Insiders say the tension is real: Oh Jungwan openly admitted to fighting with another jury member for seven hours in the past, and she warned De Heer she's ready to do it again if his favorite film isn't the one she backs.
On Oct 27, 2026, at the Tokyo International Film Festival, Rolf de Heer stated, 'I don’t think it changes the festival so much' regarding FIAPF's A-list status. Oh Jungwan revealed a past 7-hour debate with a fellow juror over a film selection.
The Tokyo jury is polite on the surface, but Oh Jungwan’s threat of a seven-hour shouting match proves the drama is just as competitive as the films.
The 2026 Tokyo International Film Festival jury press conference on Tuesday wasn’t just a stiff formality; it was a masterclass in passive-aggressive diplomacy. Jury president Rolf de Heer, the Dutch-Australian filmmaker behind *Bad Boy Bubby* and *Charlie’s Country*, took the stage alongside French colorist Yov Moor, South Korean producer Oh Jungwan, Japanese actress Makiko Watanabe, and Taiwanese-American producer Alex C. Lo.
While the atmosphere was described as "genteel," the undercurrents were anything but calm, particularly when the topic turned to the festival’s newly reaffirmed "A-list" status by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF). De Heer, channeling his signature bluntness, dismissed the significance of the official tiering. "Tokyo was effectively an ‘A’ festival," he declared, arguing that the formal re-categorization makes little practical difference to the event's soul.
He noted that while the label might help with securing high-quality films, "I don’t think it changes the festival so much." His colleague Oh Jungwan offered a sharper, more grounded perspective, admitting she isn’t a "film festival person" and doesn’t care about the labels. "We just go to watch film and enjoy the festival feeling," she said, effectively telling the industry suits that the audience doesn't care about their spreadsheets.
But the real tea spilled when the conversation shifted to how the jury would handle disagreements over the 15 competing films. De Heer suggested a reasonable path to compromise, hoping to avoid a "lesser compromise film." Oh, however, had a different strategy. She jokingly warned De Heer that she was ready to fight him over the selection, citing a harrowing past experience where she debated with another jury member for seven straight hours.
"Every other jury member hated me," she recalled to laughter, adding, "I hope I don’t fight with him for 7 hours this time!" The threat hangs over the competition like a storm cloud: will the jury find unity, or will Oh drag everyone into an all-nighter for her favorite pick? Meanwhile, Yov Moor brought a touch of vulnerability to the drama, expressing surprise at his inclusion as a colorist—a role he noted is rarely invited to jury panels.
"For me, it’s like a little dream," Moor said, highlighting his desire to elevate the visibility of colorists in the industry. As the jury prepares to crown the winner of the Tokyo Grand Prix, the dynamic remains tense. De Heer admitted he is currently "in-between" projects, using the festival as a "punctuation point" in his career, while the rest of the panel braces for what could be a very long, very loud week of negotiations.
