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'Red Cliff' to open Tokyo fest

TIFF's theme is ecology

By MARK SCHILLING

'Red Cliff,' from helmer John Woo, will open the 21st Tokyo Film Festival. The green-themed fest runs Oct. 18-26.

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TOKYO -- John Woo's period epic "Red Cliff" will open the 21st Tokyo Film Festival, which unspools Oct. 18-26 in Tokyo, organizers announced Wednesday.

The Chinese pic's ensemble cast includes Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhang Fengyi, Chang Chen, Zhao Wei, Hu Jun, Chiling Lin and Shido Nakamura.

It opens in Japan on Nov. 1, with Toho-Towa and Avex Entertainment distribbing.

Theme of the fest's first edition under new chairman Tatsumi "Tom" is ecology, with a green carpet instead of the traditional red and a new section for pics highlighting man's relationship with nature.

The Tokyo Film Festival is the key event of the Japan Intl. Contents Festival (CoFesta), an umbrella org coordinating 16 events, running from Sept. 30-Oct. 4, that present Japanese pics, music, games and TV shows to the world.