Message
We appreciate the many encouraging messages to our festival!
※no particular order.
Matsuko DeluxeI was a bit shocked when I learned that Tokyo International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival is on it’s 25th year. It made me realize that I’ve gotten older. And when I learned that it’s being reborn as Rainbow Reel Tokyo, I was again, shocked. It made me realize that it doesn’t end with just lesbians and gays. In 25 years, words like “sexuality” and “LGBT” have become more common and I can’t help but feel the impact that 25 years can make. I extend 25 years worth of congratulations to everyone who have supported this film festival! |
Natsuki MariIt’s so wonderful that the Tokyo International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, marking it’s 25th year, is moving forward under the new title of Rainbow Reel Tokyo. Congratulations. So it’s been 25 years… In 1992, the year the film festival was founded, I remember that I, too, deciding that I wanted to live true to myself, started Inshōha, a conceptual art theater. I remember it being a small event. I heard that there are several film festivals around the world that have sexual minority themes, but I think that it holds a strong meaning for one to have started in Tokyo, and I hope that this festival would continue long and strong. There was an incident in France, where someone committed suicide in a protest against LGBT. I realized that, partly due to religious beliefs, even in the West LGBT are not as welcomed as I thought. I hope that a lot of people enjoy this film festival as they feel and think through the movies in this free land of Tokyo. Allow me to support the Rainbow Reel Tokyo, not as an icon, but as another gender-aware individual. |
Ogimama/Education Commentator; Professor, Hosei UniversityThe LGBT have started moving the world by posing questions not only regarding sexuality, but also with regards as to how each individual could shine while being themselves. But it is also a fact that a great number of children are still suffering discrimination due to other people’s lack of understanding. This film festival is such a wonderful endeavor as it provides people from different backgrounds an opportunity to learn to accept one another by letting them contemplate together as they watch the same screen. It’s an event that I would definitely want our educators and parents to join! |
Chizuru AzumaIt’s wrong to be categorized as a minority, to suffer inconveniences and have a hard time. Most of it is due to an inadequate social system, ignorance, misunderstanding and indifference. Let the majority and the minority be undivided in saying that what’s wrong is wrong. To a mixed society where no one is excluded! Let’s MAZEKOZE! Get in touch. |
YASUTOMI Ayumi/Professor, Institute for advanced studies on Asia, The University of TokyoWords do not have the power to change the way people think. In order to change the way a person feels, one must change the way of thinking; words itself cannot make this happen. Words become meaningful only after people change the way they think. On the other hand, movies can affect peoples’ senses strongly, and thus have the power to change the way they feel. I believe that because of this, movies play an important role in the fight against discrimination and violence towards a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. |
IMALU/TV Personality; ArtistI’ve loved movies since I was in junior high school. Movies have influenced my fashion, got me singing, taught me history and took me to worlds of fantasy. Whatever world it’s set in, whomever the main character is, whatever the story is, I was able to see myself in all the movies I watch. I have also seen and been influenced by a lot of films about LGBT, and they aren’t all just fun stories. I hope that through movies, the world can be more and more understanding of LGBT. I wish Rainbow Reel Tokyo all the best! |
Asako Makimura/TV Personality (managed by OFFICE AYA); WriterI wonder how many rainbow-colored films have been buried, up until now. As the film festival Rainbow Reel is born this 2016, I think of these numerous banned films. In the past, I, too, had buried the emotions that I had inside me. I first fell in love with another girl when I was 10. And I desperately hated her the day she gave me a letter as I was about to transfer schools. I called it “trying to be normal”. I hope that the rainbow-colored films brighten up a colorful future in which no one’s colors are blotted out. |
Ryosuke Hashiguchi/Film DirectorCurrently, we are living in a society where we strangle each other. Everyone fears and inflicts pain onto things they cannot understand, things different from themselves. Knowing others is literally the beginning of wisdom. The fact that the Tokyo International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, which has shown us the lifestyles, perspectives and sexualities of people from various countries, is in it’s 25th year proves the support it has had from its numerous viewers. And this encourages us greatly. I hope that this year’s festival would again take everyone on wonderful encounters with the movies. |
Sonim/Actress;SingerWhen I performed the role of a bisexual girl in a play, I loved the other girl before me without any hesitation. I know that love is never restricted by anything. I wish this year’s film festival will be visited by many people, and I myself would like to come to see the world of love and diversity. |
Gengoroh Tagame/Gay Erotic ArtistIn the world, there are different kind of people, and variation of being gay as well. Throughout my three-decade career as a gay artist, I have depicted the gay world as seen through my own eyes. I strongly focus on my own point of view when I create things, and for this very reason, I’m interested in other artists’ perspectives to the world. From my heart, I’m looking forward to visit Rainbow Reel Tokyo, a festival that shows me a variety of views from all over the world. |
Masamichi Yoshihiro/Movie writerFrom the Tokyo Lesbian and Gay Film Festival to Rainbow Reel Tokyo: I’m so glad that the rainbow came to be known as our symbol. For 25 years, the film festival has been growing by passing its spirit from film to film, person to person. It’s been a time to see diversity out of a broader perspective, so I hope for the continued success and growth of Rainbow Reel Tokyo. |
Taiji Utagawa/CartoonistIt’s been 20 years since I became aware of this film festival. At the time when there weren’t enough chances to know about the lives of sexual minorities abroad, the film festival was the door which opened me to the world. From then on the surroundings of minorities have changed, but I think the film festival has always been the universe that we can go to by train, which provides a glimpse into the minds of sexual minority individuals around the world. I wish this year will also become a vivid memory for many people./td> |
SECRET GUYZ(Shuto Yoshihara・Taiki Ikeda・Yukichi)/IdolCongratulations on holding the film festival. |
Ai Hasegawa/ArtistAllow me to congratulate you on 25 years, Tokyo International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival! |
Fumino Sugiyama/Representative, Tokyo Rainbow PrideThrough this film festival I’ve made friends, and through the films I came to know parts of me that I didn’t know existed. With all of these memories in mind, I would like to say congratulations and thank you to the Rainbow Reel Tokyo, an event that has continuously provided me with many encounters for 25 years. |
Koyuki Higashi&Hiroko Masuhara/LGBT Activist (Koyuki Higashi); LGBT Research Lecturer (Hiroko Masuhara)(Koyuki Higashi) I love the Tokyo International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival. It’s the 25th festival this year. I thank everyone who gives their effort for the film festival each year. I hope that this year’s festival would again connect people’s hearts and give courage and power to LGBT. (Hiroko Masuhara) I have cried aloud, laughed hard, became filled with sorrow as well as hope within the soft rainbow lights of the Spiral Hall. Since the first time I came to the film festival 14 years ago, it has always been a place where I gain courage and feel that I am not alone. I hope that this year’s festival would again be a heartful experience for LGBT. |
Taiga Ishikawa/Councilor, Toshima Ward, TokyoI would like to give my heartfelt congratulations to the 25th Rainbow Reel Tokyo: Tokyo International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival and the newly established of the Rainbow Reel Tokyo NPO. The issuing of partnership certificates to same-sex couples as started by the Shibuya Ward and the Setagaya Ward last year, has spread to Iga City in Mie, Takarazuka City in Hyogo and Naha City in Okinawa. The future that the film festival has shown us is now a reality. I will come to the film festival again this year, in search of a future I have yet to see. |
Wataru Ishizaka/Councilor, Nakano Ward, Tokyo
Congratulations on your 25th film festival. Situations involving LGBT have changed greatly in a quarter of a century. Even people who have had biases and discriminative stances towards LGBT are gradually forgetting their prejudices. |
Aya Kamikawa/Councilor, Setagaya WardI hope that through the stories born from the various sexualities, lifestyles and relations shown in the film, viewers would get to perceive the shallowness of “being normal”, the violence of a society that cannot protect it’s members dignities, the difficulty and magnificence of fully living as one’s true self, the joy and courage of understanding and being understood despite differences and the importance of a society that can protect equality. I, myself, will be going to the festival again this year to have my heart moved. |
Edy/Committee Director, Ehime LGBT Film Festival / Rainbow Pride EhimeIt’s such a joy to watch a film at a big theatre with many friends. It feels amazing to physically experience that I’m not alone! I have learned a lot of things in my life through films. We started The Ehime LGBT Film Festival to spread understanding to rural areas, and it will be held for the fifth time this spring. On August 6th and 7th, we will attempt the country-side’s first ever national convention to spread understanding of sexual minorities, “Rainbow Pride Ehime” (Japan National Rainbow Pride). Rainbow Reel Tokyo is the source of power for those of us trying to live as we truly are in our own hometowns. |
Manami Ejiri/Committee Director, Osu Rainbow Film FestivalMay I congratulate you on 25 years. I would like to thank you for your hard work for the past quarter of a century. The Tokyo International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival is one I always look forward to visiting. An LGBT film festival didn’t exist in Nagoya until last year, but thanks to the encouragement of TILGFF, we were able to start the Osu Rainbow Film Festival. Up until now, there have been a lot of struggles, but we will continue to follow the lead of Rainbow Reel Tokyo for many years to come. |