The Tokyo International Film Festival, whose 29th edition unspools from Oct. 25 to Nov. 3, offers something for everyone — from golden oldies in the Japanese Classics section to films for kids in the new Youth section. However, as Japan's biggest film festival, as well as one of the most important in Asia, TIFF aims to be more than a cinematic smorgasbord.

Once criticized as a dumping ground for films rejected by other more prestigious festivals, TIFF's Competition section has improved noticeably under the leadership of programming director and dedicated cinephile Yoshihiko Yatabe.

The festival has also added a section called World Focus, which presents award-winning films from other festivals that have yet to secure a Japanese distribution deal. That is, quality has taken precedence over the (mostly meaningless) number of world premieres.