Partnership with Canada’s Frontières Brings a Strong Genre Lineup
5 Animation Projects; Annecy-Winning “The Violinist” Studio Returns
8 Projects from Japan

And First-Ever Open Pitch Event in Collaboration with IMAGICA GROUP

TIFFCOM 2026 will host the 7th Tokyo Gap-Financing Market (TGFM) at Tokyo Port City Takeshiba Port Studio.

TGFM is a market where TIFFCOM provides feature film projects in the funding stage with opportunities for one-on-one meetings with industry experts to support project development and budget fulfillment. Projects participating in TGFM must have secured at least 60% of their total budget and must include an Asian element. TGFM is highly regarded by meeting partners in that they are able to make a concrete examination for the participation projects with a high possibility of completion.

We are pleased to announce the 24 projects selected to participate. The lineup includes 24 countries and regions from Asia, Europe, South America, and North America.

Furthermore, with the cooperation of IMAGICA GROUP, the first-ever open pitch event will be held on the afternoon of October 28. A total of 10 projects out of 24, including 5 from the newly-partnered Frontières Showcase, will present their pitches.

24 Countries and Regions Represented, Including 8 Projects from Japan

Collaboration with Frontières Market Further Enriches the Selection of Fresh Genre Projects
This year, TIFFCOM established a partnership with Frontières, the international genre film co-production market organized by the Fantasia International Film Festival (Canada), resulting in a large number of high-quality genre projects.
Tania Morissette, Deputy Director of Frontières, stated, “Frontières is thrilled to partner with TGFM at TIFFCOM to present our first showcase in Asia. This partnership is a fantastic opportunity to connect our genre filmmaking communities, open new doors for emerging projects, and build meaningful bridges between our markets,” expressing her high hopes for this new collaboration.

A diverse array of genre projects from around the world, including Thailand, Nepal, and Brazil, has been gathered, ranging from indigenous horror to near-future psychological thrillers. The lineup of horror projects features a body horror film by Gabriela Amaral Almeida (Brazil), whose previous work was selected for the Tokyo International Film Festival Competition, as well as a project based on a Kyrgyz legend produced by a team comprising a new Indonesian filmmaker Kevin Rahardjo and KawanKawan Media, the production company behind a series of notable titles. The lineup also includes a thriller from acclaimed Singaporean director Boo Junfeng and SEAFIC founder/producer Raymond Phathanavirangoon. Vietnamese director Diep Nguyen Hoang, who joined last year’s TGFM with “1982”, the official selection at Busan International Film Festival, will also participate for the second consecutive year.

5 Projects of Animation in the Limelight
The lineup includes: an omnibus horror from the production team behind “The Violinist”, winner of the top prize at this year’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival; “Back to Tomioka”, based on a French graphic novel that deals with the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident; from Japan is a work by Ayumi Moriyama, OLM’s promising animator, who gained experience as an animator and was a key animator for the TV animation “Pokémon” before becoming a director; and a work by P.I.C.S., which has received high praise at film festivals and events both in Japan and abroad.

3 Projects in Partnership with Italy
Now in its third year since 2024, the cooperation with Cinecittà, part of the Italian Ministry of Culture’s Directorate-General for Cinema and Audiovisual Media, brings three projects including Italian-Japanese international co-productions. Among them is a project featuring director Takuya Uchiyama, whose “Numb” made a striking impression at this year’s Panorama section of the Berlin International Film Festival.

Participation from Japan comprises projects by directors Yusaku Matsumoto from “Winny”, Akira Yamamoto from “After the Fever”, and Takafumi Sakabe. Japanese production partners are involved in 12 of the selected projects, 8 of which originated in Japan. Each of them will aim to meet and connect with international co-production partners and investors at TGFM.

In addition to the open pitch event, TGFM is planning related events this year. Details of each event will be announced on the official website, social media, and through newsletters as soon as they are confirmed.