TIFFCOM has partnered with Frontières, enhancing their gap-financing market with a selection of horror and thriller films from around the globe.
On September 9, 2026, Tokyo market TIFFCOM revealed its inaugural partnership with Frontières, a genre-focused co-production market operated by Canada’s Fantasia International Film Festival. This collaboration introduces a fresh slate of horror and thriller projects within the lineup for the seventh Tokyo Gap-Financing Market (TGFM), expanding its reach into genre cinema.
According to Variety, this partnership will incorporate a diverse array of feature projects sourced from 24 countries and regions, covering Asia, Europe, and South America. The aim of TGFM is to facilitate financing for projects that have secured at least 60% of their total budget, with an additional stipulation that all projects must feature an Asian element, thus enriching the cultural diversity of the submissions.
The inclusion of Frontières enhances TGFM's profile, particularly in the horror and thriller genres, matching current market trends that show a growing interest in genre films. Among the selected projects are notable titles such as Boo Junfeng’s Trinity, a thriller from Singapore, and Kevin Rahardjo's The Land of Jinn, inspired by a Kyrgyz legend. This year’s Frontières Showcase will spotlight five feature films, including The Saddest Stories on Earth, directed by Diep Nguyen Hoang of Vietnam, and She, Crocodile, a body horror film from Brazilian director Gabriela Amaral Almeida, known for her earlier work showcased at the Tokyo International Film Festival.
Beyond the integration with Frontières, TGFM is also launching its first-ever open pitch session in collaboration with Imagica Group, set for October 28. This event will feature 10 of the 24 selected projects, providing a platform for filmmakers to pitch their ideas directly to industry experts. The 2026 TGFM will also present a significant number of animated projects, exemplifying the festival's commitment to diverse storytelling. This includes an omnibus horror project from the team behind The Violinist, which recently won top honors at the Annecy Animation Film Festival.
The Tokyo Gap-Financing Market has successfully supported multiple projects that later garnered acclaim at major international film festivals. Previous alumni include The Violinist, which won the Cristal Award at Annecy, and Filipiñana, recognized at Sundance. The integration of genre-focused entries highlights a trend toward international collaboration and caters to shifting viewer preferences, as audiences increasingly seek new and innovative narratives from different cultural backgrounds.
The Tokyo Gap-Financing Market will run from October 28-30 as part of TIFFCOM's 2026 edition, coinciding with the Tokyo International Film Festival. This newly enhanced genre slate is expected to attract a variety of filmmakers and audiences looking for fresh voices and perspectives in the film industry. With Frontières facilitating connections between creators and financiers, the partnership signifies a pivotal step in bolstering genre filmmaking at an international level. For those interested in additional updates, be sure to follow our coverage of the TGFM’s progress and participant projects leading up to the event.
Stay tuned for further developments in this exciting partnership, and explore more about past markets and projects originating from this initiative through our articles.
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