Tokyo Launches Yami Horror Film Festival

Tokyo will get a new horror showcase this fall as the Yami International Film Festival prepares to launch its first edition from Nov. 20 to 26 at Human Trust Cinema Shibuya.

Organizers revealed the festival plans at Cannes, signaling an effort to place the event on the international film calendar from day one. The festival comes from Japan-based horror entertainment company Yami Inc. and will center on horror and other dark genre filmmaking, a space that already commands loyal audiences but still fights for prestige in many mainstream settings.

Tokyo’s new Yami festival arrives with a focused mission: give horror and dark genre films a dedicated stage in one of the world’s most influential movie capitals.

The inaugural edition will include two competitive sections, one for feature films and one for short films. That structure suggests the festival wants to attract both established filmmakers and emerging voices, a mix that often defines genre events with staying power. Reports indicate the event will position itself as a platform for discovery as much as a showcase for finished work.

The timing matters. Genre cinema continues to travel well across borders, and festivals dedicated to horror often punch above their weight in shaping audience buzz, acquisitions, and filmmaker reputations. By launching in Shibuya and announcing the move at Cannes, Yami appears to be targeting both local credibility and international attention.

What happens next will determine whether Yami becomes a fixture or just another ambitious debut. The key test will come in its lineup, industry turnout, and ability to turn Tokyo into a meaningful meeting point for horror creators and buyers. If the festival delivers on that promise, it could give dark cinema a stronger foothold in Japan’s capital and a new annual date for genre fans to watch.