About & Venues

In film, what you see is not always reality.

Dreams, fear, devastation, hope, ideals…
A film can be about anything.

At times, déjà vu :
A scene in film.
A familiar location.
Shared pain.
You shake. You well up with tears.

This year at Pride in Tokyo, many walked the Parade with joy over their face.
Everybody looked like they belonged in movies.

In Japan, what we thought only happened in movies began: Court battles on same-sex marriage.

In nearby Taiwan, they became the first country in Asia to allow same-sex marriage. It’s no longer just in the movies.
Déjà vu, indeed.

A world that was not supposed to be reality is now reality, before our very own eyes.
Reality…
Surreal.

Like they say, everybody has a story.
The Silver Screen is where the new world is first seen.
What’s in store this year.

Rainbow Reel Tokyo.
Come on Out!

Hideki MIYAZAWA
Committee Director, Rainbow Reel Tokyo

‘Rainbow Reel Tokyo’ is a film festival which screens films with the theme of people who identify as sexual minorities. It was first held in 1992 with the name ‘Tokyo International Lesbian and Gay Movie Festival’, and this year will be the 28th.

Rainbow Reel Tokyo does not screen films only about lesbian and gay people, but through the showing of films about people with different sexual minorities such as transgender, intersexual, and bisexual people, it aims to provide space to create a more diverse and free society, and because there is little opportunity for films about sexual minorities to be shown in major film theaters, it also aims to contribute to creating image culture by introducing these films from both Japan and overseas.

While it is a ‘festival’ for people who identify as sexual minorities to enjoy, it is open towards people of all kinds of sexual identities, and it has established itself as a ‘film screening event’ to casually experience the rich culture developed by people of sexual minorities.

The committee operating Rainbow Reel Tokyo started in 1991 as a non-profit organization affiliated with ‘ILGA Japan’, which is a support group and part of International Lesbian & Gay Association. Since the Rainbow Reel Tokyo was first held in 1992, it has expanded each year, along with the improvement in quality of films being shown.

Rainbow Reel Tokyo is organized by volunteer staff; the staff choose films from both Japan and foreign countries, negotiate for rights to screen the films, as well as preparing the venue and planning related events.

In 2015, an incorporated non-profit organization ‘Rainbow Reel Tokyo’ was established as the managing organization. Along with the founding of the organization, the name of the movie festival has been changed from ‘Tokyo International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival’ to ‘Rainbow Reel Tokyo’, and it will keep making efforts to become a bridge connecting sexuality and cultural activities.