26th Tokyo International Film Festival (2013)

It's all change at Tokyo's biggest cinematic shindig. When Tokyo International Film Festival returns to Roppongi Hills this October, it'll be with a new director, Yasushi Shiina, a new logo, and without its main sponsor, Toyota. Coming just a week after Korea's Busan International Film Festival, TIFF can sometimes feel – how should we say this? – a little underwhelming in comparison. Yet if the competition section tends to be low-wattage, there are always plenty of strong films lurking elsewhere in the lineup, some of which are unlikely ever to see a proper Japan release. And for Tokyo-based film buffs who don't have advanced-level Japanese reading skills, it's unmissable for another simple reason: it offers a rare opportunity to watch foreign-language films with English subtitles.

Competition entries are being taken until July 12. See the official website for details.