The Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) is pleased to announce that it will host the Japan premieres of five short films supported by the Displacement Film Fund (DFF), of which Uniqlo is a founding partner, at the festival’s 39th edition from October 26 to November 4, 2026.
 

 
DFF was established to champion and fund the work of displaced filmmakers, or filmmakers with a proven track record in creating authentic stories focused on the experiences of displaced people. Spearheaded by Cate Blanchett, actor, producer and global Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, together with the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR)’s Hubert Bals Fund, the pilot short film funding scheme was announced at IFFR 2025.
 
The pilot short film production grants were bestowed on five acclaimed and up-and-coming directors: Maryna Er Gorbach (Ukraine), Mo Harawe (Somalia-Austria), Hasan Kattan (Syria), Mohammad Rasoulof (Iran) and Shahrbanoo Sadat (Afghanistan).
 
Er Gorbach’s Klondike was screened in the World Focus section of the 35th TIFF in 2022, and Rasoulof’s There is No Evil was screened in World Focus section of the 33rd TIFF in 2020.
 
The five DFF films had their world premieres at IFFR 2026 and were widely heralded for their superior storytelling. Following this success, the second edition of the DFF short film scheme was confirmed at IFFR 2026.
 
TIFF has decided to screen five works from the first edition in alignment with the DFF’s mission to highlight underrepresented voices through the power of cinema. As global displacement driven by humanitarian crises reaches critical levels, we aim to foster deeper understanding and awareness of refugee issues, fulfilling our social responsibility as a film festival.
 
TIFF’s announcement today follows a panel event during the Cannes Film Festival, where Japan is the Country of Honour in 2026. Cate Blanchett participated in the panel where the next five funded filmmakers were revealed. Amongst the recipients for the second funding round is Annemarie Jacir, whose film Palestine 36 was awarded Tokyo Grand Prix, and Rithy Pahn, whose film We Are the Fruits of the Forest was awarded Special Jury Prize at the TIFF in 2025*.
 
*The 39th TIFF will only screen the first round of the DFF films
 

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5 Short Films Supported by the Displacement Film Fund
 
Allies in Exile (40 min, United Kingdom/Syria)
Dir: Hasan Kattan

Two Syrian filmmakers with a past shaped by war document the trauma of waiting for asylum, using friendship and storytelling to survive exile.
 

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Rotation (12 min, Ukraine/Turkey)
Dir: Maryna Er Gorbach

“Rotation” is a therapeutic hypnosis ritual experienced by a young Ukrainian woman who shifted from civilian life to military service.
 

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Sense of Water (39 min, Iran/Germany)
Dir: Mohammad Rasoulof

In the chill of exile, an Iranian writer confronts a foreign language.
 

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Super Afghan Gym (14 min, Germany)
Dir: Shahrbanoo Sadat

In a gym in downtown Kabul, a group of housewives gathers during the only hour of the day reserved for women.
 

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Whispers of a Burning Scent (28 min, Somalia/Austria/Germany)
Dir: Mo Harawe

A quiet wedding musician finds his private life exposed to public scrutiny.
 
 
Comments from Ichiyama Shozo, Programming Director of TIFF
We are profoundly honored to present five films supported by the Displacement Film Fund at the Tokyo International Film Festival. At a time of heightened global political volatility, this project addresses deeply critical issues. Crafted by talented directors, these five works represent a cinematic adventure in every sense, filled with remarkable surprises. We look forward with great anticipation to seeing how this diverse selection resonates with audience members at TIFF.
 
The Displacement Film Fund
The Displacement Film Fund champions and funds the work of displaced filmmakers, or filmmakers with a proven track record in creating authentic storytelling on the experiences of displaced people. The fund was announced in January 2025 at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) by Cate Blanchett, actor, producer and UNHCR Global Goodwill Ambassador, together with IFFR’s Hubert Bals Fund. It was founded in partnership with Amahoro Coalition, Master Mind, the Tamer Family Foundation, UNIQLO and Dutch cultural foundation Droom en Daad. The Hubert Bals Fund serves as the managing partner, and UNHCR as the strategic partner. With the addition of The SP Lohia Foundation as a new major partner, the fund confirmed its second edition at IFFR 2026.
iffr.com/en/hubert-bals-fund/funding-schemes/displacement-film-fund