Last week, Devika returned from the Tokyo International Film Festival, which ran from October 27 to November 5 in the Japanese capital. As one of the major festivals in Asia, the event is a great showcase for new and restored films from the region, as well as Japanese specialities like animation. While there, Devika recorded three Podcasts exploring the lineup with a stellar rotation of guests.

First up, critics Vadim Rizov and Kong Rithdee join to talk about some of the big competition titles, including Annemarie Jacir’s Palestine 36, which ended up winning the Grand Prix, and Rithy Panh’s documentary We Are the Fruits of the Forest; as well as the the long-overdue official Japanese premiere of Paul Schrader’s Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, 40 years after its making. Next, critics Kambole Campbell and Sasha Han discuss selections from their areas of expertise—respectively, animation and Southeast Asian cinema. Some highlights include Momotaro, Sacred Sailors, a piece of WWII propaganda and the first-ever animated feature made in Japan; Mamoru Oshii’s cult classic Angel’s Egg; and Pen-ek Ratanaruang’s culinary thriller Morte Cucina. Finally, programmer, translator, and producer Aiko Masubuchi shares her thoughts on three Japanese titles. The first, Yama: Attack to Attack, a documentary from 1985, was screened outside of the festival; the latter two, Lost Land and In Their Traces, were highlights of its Nippon Cinema Now section.