Rolf De Heer on Tokyo Festival’s A-list and Judging Films

WHO:

Deadline - Australian filmmaker Rolf de Heer was president of the competition jury at the Tokyo International Film Festival.

Deadline - The Fédération Internationale des Associations des Producteurs de Films (FIAPF) reaffirmed Tokyo’s A-list status.

Variety - Rolf de Heer, director of “Bad Boy Bubby” and “Ten Canoes,” led the festival’s competition jury.

Variety - FIAPF named 17 festivals to its A-list, including Tokyo.

WHAT:

Deadline - De Heer discussed the significance of A-list ratings for film festivals at the jury press conference.

Variety - De Heer said FIAPF making A-list status official was unlikely to change much about the Tokyo International Film Festival.

Variety - De Heer said A-list status “matters a great deal to some people, and not at all to others.”

WHERE:

Deadline - The jury press conference took place in connection with the Tokyo International Film Festival.

Variety - The 39th Tokyo International Film Festival was the setting for the jury press conference.

(UPDATED October 27, 2026 06:04 UTC)

Australian filmmaker Rolf de Heer, who directed “Bad Boy Bubby” and “Ten Canoes,” led the competition jury at the Tokyo International Film Festival, which FIAPF included among 17 festivals on its A-list. Speaking at a jury press conference, de Heer said the official recognition was unlikely to change much about the festival. He said A-list status “matters a great deal to some people, and not at all to others.”