30th Tokyo International Film Festival kicks off

The 30th Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) kicked off Wednesday, with some 200 films to be screened at theaters in Tokyo's downtown Roppongi and other areas in the next 10 days.

A total of 15 works from around the world will compete for the festival's top honor Tokyo Grand Prix, including Chinese film The Looming Storm directed by Dong Yue and starring Duan Yihong and Jiang Yiyan.

The Chinese film noir dealing with love and destiny tells the story of Yu, a self-assured factory guard, who fancies himself a detective and begins poking his nose into a murder investigation, only to find things getting more and more complicated.

The winner of the top honor will be announced at the closing ceremony based on the decision of an international jury headed by the United States actor and director Tommy Lee Jones. Chinese actress and director Zhao Wei is also a member of the jury.

Meanwhile, films will also compete for a number of other awards, including the Special Jury Prize, the Audience Award, the Best Asian Future Film Award in the Asian Future session established at the 26th TIFF.

The TIFF, which started in 1985 as Japan's first major film festival, is expected to attract tens of thousands of movie fans, students, professionals and buyers in a wide range of events in the next 10 days.