Tokyo Film Festival opens with green carpet

Actor Tony Leung of Chinese Hong Kong attends the opening ceremony of the 21st Tokyo International Film Festival(TIFF) in Tokyo, capital of Japan, Oct. 18, 2008. The festival opened Saturday with 15 films -- selected from 690 films from 72 countries and regions -- in the main competition section for the Tokyo Sakura Grand Prix and other awards. [Photo: Xinhua]

The 21st Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) opened Saturday with a Green Carpet welcome ceremony to celebrities and film stars in the hope of conveying the message of environmental protection.

Hong Kong Director John Woo and cast including actor Tony Leung of his Chinese ancient epic Red Cliff, which will open the screening section of the film festival, walked with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso to inaugurate the event.

Hollywood actress Julianne Moore also appeared with her Japanese co-star Yoshino Kimura, for the thriller "Blindness."

Fifteen films will screen in the competition section for the Tokyo Sakura Grand Prix, including two Chinese works, "Claustrophobia" directed by Ivy Ho and "Super Typhoon" by Feng Xiaoning.

A number of other works, for instance Chinese director Feng Xiaogang's popular patriotic epic "Assembly", will be shown in a wide range of sections to feast movie fans. Walt Disney's animation "Wall-E" will close the curtains of the festival.