Now in its eighth year, Tokyo FILMeX (Nov. 17-25) continues to prove that good things come in small packages. With the sprawling Tokyo International Film Festival over, think of FILMeX as the more interesting, more memorable nijikai (after party) following TIFF's pomp and circumstance. FILMeX's devoted staff of cinephiles present 37 films they hope you won't forget.
All but three of this year's films are subtitled in English, with all non-Japanese films subtitled in Japanese. "We aim to create cultural exchange through movies — through new films, classic films, work from around the world and Japanese masterpieces," explains FILMeX director Kanako Hayashi.
Technically you can see 72 films, as the opening salvo is "To Each His Own Cinema," an omnibus of 35 shorts by some of the world's top directors, including Roman Polanski, the Coen Brothers, Wong Kar-wai, Lars von Trier and Abbas Kiarostami. It's sure to sell out quick.