The first group of five short films financed by Cate Blanchett’s Displacement Film Fund was shown this afternoon at the Tokyo International Film Festival. Blanchett attended the screening and took part in a Q&A afterward alongside DFF directors Shahrbanoo Sadat and Mohammad Rasoulof.
The program comprised Rotation by Maryna Er Gorbach; Sadat’s Super Afghan Gym; Allies in Exile by Hasan Kattan; Whispers of a Burning Scent by Mo Harawe; and Rasoulof’s Sense of Water.
Blanchett explained that the Displacement Film Fund grew out of a long-term effort by a dedicated team who wanted to support filmmakers with lived experience of displacement. She described the initiative as the result of sustained work by “a very passionate group” to turn the idea into reality.
She noted that roughly one in 70 people worldwide is displaced and that members of the group began asking why such urgent, powerful stories rarely reach mainstream audiences. The fund was created to help bring these narratives to viewers, offering short films as a format where directors can experiment and take risks.
Blanchett also expressed great admiration for the films of Sadat and Rasoulof and echoed Sadat’s perspective that labels like “displaced” or “refugee” should not be the sole way a person or their art is defined.
She emphasized that while the filmmakers in this cohort have experienced displacement, that circumstance is not the only thing that shapes their work. As someone who has not been displaced personally, Blanchett said she nevertheless finds these films resonant, touching on experiences and emotions that connect across different lives. The directors use varied cinematic approaches to explore shared aspects of humanity, she added.
Sense of Water, directed by Mohammad Rasoulof, tells the story of an Iranian writer living in exile who wrestles with learning the language of his new country. Shahrbanoo Sadat’s Super Afghan Gym follows a group of women in Kabul who, during the one daily hour reserved for women at a local gym, gather to train and discuss body image and the routines of their everyday lives.
When speaking about Super Afghan Gym, Sadat said she was interested in examining the social forces that make people uneasy in their own bodies. She described a pervasive feeling of never being enough and the pressure to constantly adjust oneself to be accepted. Whether people relocate or remain where they are, she suggested, they carry their original home in their bodies, and her film aims to address that discomfort.
During the post-screening discussion, the panel was joined by an unexpected guest: actor Kōji Yakusho, known for Perfect Days. Yakusho praised the Displacement Film Fund’s inaugural selection, saying the five films were thoughtfully chosen and well balanced. He also expressed optimism that the fund will continue, predicting future editions and wishing the project success.
Blanchett launched the Displacement Film Fund in 2025. The Hubert Bals Fund at the Rotterdam Film Festival serves as the Management Partner. Founding supporters include Amahoro Coalition, Droom en Daad, Master Mind, the Tamer Family Foundation, and UNIQLO.
A second cohort of filmmakers supported by the fund was revealed at last year’s Cannes Film Festival. That group features Mo Amer, Annemarie Jacir, Akuol de Mabior, Rithy Panh, and Bao Nguyen.
The Tokyo International Film Festival continues through November 4.
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