Tokyo, Oct 23 (IANS): Nearly 1,000 films from 76 countries will be screened at the 24th Tokyo International Film Festival that opened in the Japanese capital Saturday.

Jackie Chan and Chinese actress Fan Bingbing were welcomed on green carpet at the opening ceremony in Tokyo's Roppongi Hills.

Jackie Chan's historical drama "1911" was also the kick-off movie of the festival, Xinhua reported.

In the main competition section, 15 films will vie for the $50,000 Sakura prize, before the festival ends up with baseball drama "Moneyball" starring Brad Pitt.

The festival will also hold a day of screenings in the northeastern coastal city of Sendai, which was ravaged by the March 11 tsunami.

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda once again expressed his sympathies to the people affected by the twin disasters.

"At this distressing time, the emotional inspiration that a film can instil in us is more important than ever before," Noda said in a letter to the film festival.

The event will run till Oct 30.