Liam Neeson, Actor Congratulations on your wonderful festival! (From signed Kinsey poster)

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	Kira AOYAMA, Actor The power of imagination is able to show us things not yet visible. The screen becomes a mirror that reflects the audience-igniting our imaginative powers. A small flame has been lit inside of me. And it will spread as we all wish to make what is visible through film a reality.

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Kai Sakura, Author Last year I went to the Lesbian & Gay Film Festival for the first time, and the impressions that remain most vividly with me now are how ALL the films were so amazingly wonderful, and the bright, energetic, and happy aura that flowed through the theater! I, too, caught the energy. It was a festival...naturally! And this year will undoubtedly be even more charged. Let's all feel the joy together!

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	Aya Kamikawa, Setagaya Ward Assembly Member The concept of what is "normal" changes with the times. The key to change lies in bringing up issues and empathizing with the people who deal with those issues. Love comes in many shapes and sizes. I'm certain that this film festival will convey the various shapes of love, and expose the presumption of the normal awareness.

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Imaizumi Gogh, Illustrator When I was trying on red-heeled tap shoes at Capezio in NY, a white woman came in with her daughter. Perhaps she came to buy ballet shoes, but immediately after seeing me, exaggeratedly tried to hide me from her daughterﾕs view! Ah, the US IS Protestant. Even if you see gay movies at Aoyama Spiral and skip through Omotesando to Harajuku, nobody will denounce you. However may be you better not skip. We are in a considerably free country, even it is far from ideal.

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	NAMEKO SHINSAN, Cartoonist/columnist The Tokyo International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival is the most stimulating, the most heart fluttering, and has the sharpest sense of humor amount of various film festivals in Japan. When looking back on this year, this film festival will remain the one best experience in your heart.

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MIYUKI TAKAHASHI, Author It is important for us to see things from many different perspectives instead of just one vision. This festival provides us with a great opportunity to think about this. I am eager to enjoy this festival with all of you.

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	PEECO, Fashion Critic I am absolutely thrilled to see that the TIL&GFF has flourished to become such a success. Perhaps, love is now commonly understood as being the same whether it is found in male-male, female-male, or female-male couples. Our gala here is another perfect chance to show this.

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Noriaki Fushimi, Writer Last year, I made my way to the TIL&GFF after having missed it the year before. I was absolutely blown away by one film of rapping lesbians. Honestly, though I once categorically thought of lesbians as simply boring, the women rapping were just too interesting! Surely there are new encounters for us all this year - to meet our neighbors, near and far.

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	Kureichi Matsuzawa, Writer I get a real sense that recently recognition of gay and lesbian lives is rapidly changing in the day-to-day world, more so than in the media. This is most likely due to present expressions through film, television, and music, rather than being a result of vocal insistences. Let’s add more to that expression.

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MIURA Shion, Author What stories of relationship will be making their way to the screen this year? The anticipation will only grow from now. Couples and singles, the Lesbian and Gay film Festival is here for us to enjoy!

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	Natsuko MORI, Author Today we continue to move ahead towards a world respectful of different sexualities. And Iﾕm sure that the Tokyo International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival is one fantastic sign of our progress.

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Rebecca Brown, Author For centuries Lesbian and Gay people were portrayed as shadowy, marginal characters in literature and art. Due to the brave and heroic efforts of writers who have gone before us—Forster, Woolf, Mishima —to name a few, and film folks like Dorothy Arzner, Fassbinder, Cary Grant—we can now see ourselves portrayed as central characters in cinema. In these movies we are funny and fierce, gorgeous and strong, infuriating, wretched, fabulous—just like we are in real life.