The festival was opened on 15th October with SOUL KITCHEN by Fatih Akin. The film was presented by the screenwriter and lead actor Adam Bousdoukos, the actress Pheline Roggan and the producer Klaus Maeck.

Further films in the main program for Tokyo were: HILDE by Kai Wessel, THE RED SPOT (DER ROTE PUNKT) by Marie Miyayama, BUDDENBROOKS by Heinrich Breloer, A YEAR AGO IN WINTER (IM WINTER EIN JAHR) by Caroline Link, GERMANY 09 (DEUTSCHLAND 09) and our short film program Next Generation. On the occasion of our fifth anniversary, two films which had already been successfully released in Japan - MOSTLY MARTHA (BELLA MARTHA) by Sandra Nettelbeck and RUN LOLA RUN (LOLA RENNT) by Tom Tykwer - were shown in a retrospective.

The directors Kai Wessel and Marie Miyayama, the producer Martin Blankemeyer and the cinematographer Gernot Roll presented their films in person.

The lunch organised by German Films gave Japanese distributors ample opportunity to speak with the representatives of the German world sales companies.

With over 4,600 admissions, the festival was extremely well attended and this was a clear sign that the festival has established itself in Tokyo.

Straightaway after the festival finished, an offer was made for SOUL KITCHEN. Japanese distributors also showed great interest in BUDDENBROOKS and THE RED SPOT (DER ROTE PUNKT).