Rolf de Heer to Lead Tokyo Film Festival Jury; Lord & Miller Curate AFI Fest

Acclaimed Australian director Rolf de Heer has been appointed as the jury president for the international competition at the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF). De Heer, a celebrated filmmaker with a career spanning over four decades, will lead the jury in evaluating the competing films. His own 2022 film, "The Survival of Kindness," will also be featured in a special Australia Spotlight program.

In parallel festival developments, directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller have been named Guest Artistic Directors for AFI Fest 2026. The filmmaking duo will be responsible for curating a selection of films that have significantly inspired their careers. As part of their involvement, they will also participate in a post-screening Q&A session following a showing of Stanley Kubrick's iconic science fiction film, "2001: A Space Odyssey."