The annual Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) unveiled the full lineup of 170 films from around the world for its 32nd edition Sept. 26. While tickets to screenings of films that are racking up Oscar buzz — like Taika Waititi's dark comedy "Jojo Rabbit" and Martin Scorsese's real-life mob drama "The Irishman" — will be snapped up in no time, the nine-day festival is also setting its sights on taking a deeper look at film greats much closer to home.
Last year's opening film, "A Star is Born," banked on the star power of Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper to bring Hollywood glamour to the event (unfortunately both the star and director were no-shows on the TIFF red carpet), but when the festivities kick off Oct. 28, Japan will see the return of a very familiar face with the premiere of "Tora-san, Wish You Were Here."
The film is the 50th installment of the comedy film series, "Otoko wa Tsurai Yo" ("It's Tough Being a Man"), which chronicles the wanderings and unsuccessful romantic pursuits of Torajiro Kuruma (aka Tora-san), a traveling salesman who also yearns to return home to his family in Tokyo's Shibamata neighborhood.