TOKYO - The Tokyo International Film Festival has announced its lineup for its 20th edition, unspooling from Oct. 20 to 28, including world preems for Jin Chen's international romance "Crossing Over," the fest's opening night screening, and Izuru Narushima's action/suspenser "Midnight Eagle," the opening screening.

The closing pic will be the previously announced Francois Gerard period drama "Silk." Once again, the two main venues will be Roppongi Hills and Bunkamura, both shopping and entertainment complexes in central Tokyo.

Among the highlights of the 15-pic competition section are Mike Binder's 9/11 drama "Reign Over Me," Kari Skogland's drama "The Stone Angel," starring Ellen Burstyn, Abolfazl Jalili's star-crossed romance "Hafez," featuring Japanese star Kumiko Aso in her first international lead role, and "The Early Years - Erik Nietzsche," the Lars von Trier-scripted drama about a struggling helmer, based on his own experiences.

The Special Screenings section will feature the Ash Brannon and Chris Buck toon "Surf's Up," Francois Ozon's "Angel," Michael Winterbottom's "A Mighty Heart," Julian Schnabel's "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," David Silverman's "The Simpsons Movie" and Takashi Miike's "Crows," a teens-run-wild pic based on a popular comic.

The section will also screen three classic sci-fi pics with effects by industry legend Ray Harryhausen: "20 Million Miles to Earth," "It Came from Beneath the Sea" and "Earth vs. the Flying Saucers."

Also unspooling will be the Winds of Asia-Middle East section, with 30 pics from all over the Asian region, including a retro of five pics by departed Taiwanese helmer Edward Yang. Meanwhile, the Japanese Eyes section will offer nine new pics from Japan, including the world preem of "Eat and Run - 6 Beautiful Grifters," the latest toon by "Ghost in the Shell" auteur Mamoru Oshii.

Two new sections have been added to the fest: World Cinema, which features eight festival faves from Europe and the U.S., and Tokyo in Focus, a section of nearly 50 pics set in Japan's capital. Among the highlights of the latter section is "Always - Sunset on Third Street 2," the sequel to Takashi Yamazaki's smash hit 2005 pic about the lives of Tokyoites in 1958.

The Tiffcom contents market will be held concurrently with the fest, from Oct. 22 to 24. So far 51 exhibitors have signed on from Japan, and 44 from the rest of the world, including China, Korea, Hong Kong, India, France and the U.S.

Variety Asia Online

i haven't seen an award day for film festival of japan, but this one sounds a big one.