Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia – Programme 2022

By Asian Film Festival on April 29, 2022 • ( 1 Comment )

We present the official programme of the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia which will take place online from April 28 – June 30 (2022), and in cinemas from June 7 – 20, 2022 in Tokyo, Japan.

After reviewing more than 5,500 submissions the organizers of the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia presented the programme which features over 200 films from all over the world. This year the festival will be held at multiple venues in Tokyo, starting with the opening ceremony on June 7th (Tuesday) and ending with the award ceremony on June 20th (Monday). The online theater starts global streaming from April 28th, today.

To embody this year‘s theme “Meta Cinema: Transcend, Discover, Begin~”, one of the opening short films of the online venue is “Boy Sprouted, the script written by AI, a first in Japan. Also kicking off is the virtual movie theater in the virtual venue, ”DOOR.”

You can check the festival schedule here: https://shortshorts.org/2022/en/schedule/

Official Competition supported by Sony

– International Program
A program that screens short films from every corner of the world, with the exception of Asia and Japan. Introducing 35 short films from 22 different countries and regions selected from 2282 submissions. 5 films are also invited as special screenings.

Action by Benoit Monney – Switzerland | 2021
And then what? By Mario Trujillo – Mexico | 2021
Bleach by Mattias Graham – Canada | 2021
Borekas by Saleh Saadi – Palestine | 2020
Born To Cry by Léo Grandperret – France | 2021
Burros by Jefferson Stein – UK | 2021
Bystander by Rachel Aoun – Lebanon & Qatar | 2022
Chiusi Fuori by Giorgio Testi – Italy | 2021
Deaf by Nuria Muñoz-Ortín, Eva Libertand – Spain | 2021
Flaws by Jake Kuhn – UK, Japan | 2022
GOGOL-MOGOL by Alexandr Kott – Russia | 2021
Good Morning Midnight by Elisabeth Silveiro – France | 2021
Harry the Hamster by Lewis Reeves – UK | 2021
In Dreams by Pete Riski – Finland | 2021
Junior by Julia Ducournau – France | 2021
Jupiter Rain by Imanol Ruiz de Lara – Spain | 2022
LEAVE TO REMAIN by Remy Bazerque – UK | 2021
MATRICE by Faten Jaziri – Tunisie | 2021
Neon Phantom by Leonardo Martinelli – Brazil | 2021
Night Breakers by Gabriel Campoy, Guillem Lafoz – Spain | 2021
No Ghost in the Morgue by Marilyn Cooke – Canada | 2022
North Pole by Marija Apcevska – Macedonia, Serbia | 2021
Penthouse by Vegard Dahle, Line Klungseth Johansen – Norway | 2022
Phase by Mykola Zaseev – Ukraine | 2021
Press Key 5 by Lipa Hussain – UK | 2021
Roy by Tom Berkeley – UK | 2020
Shark by Nash Edgerton – Australia | 2021
Shielded by Jan Verdijk – Netherlands | 2021
Sleep Singing by Bradley Porter – UK, Japan | 2022
Snooze by Adam Coillins – Ireland | 2021
Still Awake? By David Payne – Czech Republic | 2021
Sunnies by Ismail Khan – Australia |2021
Techno, Mama by Saulius Baradinskas – Lithuania | 2021
The Blanket by Teppo Airaksinen – Finland | 2022
THE BRIDGE by Rodrigue Hammal – Canada | 2021
The Diaper Cake by Anastasia Babenko – Ukraine | 2021
The Red Sultan by Joachim Besancon – US | 2021
The Speech by Mohammad Hijazi – France | 2021
Warsha by Dania Bdeir – France, Lebanon | 2021
Wednesday by Eeva Magi – Estonia | 2021

– Asian International & Japan Program
A program that presents short films from throughout Asia including Japan. 23 short films from 14 different Asian countries and regions excluding Japan, selected out of 639 submissions. Introducing 27 Japan short films selected from 435 submissions.

A Family Portrait by Hiroyuki Ohmi – Japan | 2021
A Strand of Regret by Hisato Michigami – Japan | 2021
All the Crows in the World by Yi Tang – Hong Kong | 2021
Black Rainbow by Zig Dulay – Philippines | 2021
BOY SPROUTED by Yuko Watanabe – Japan | 2021
CHIMUGANASA by Karin Miyagi – Japan | 2022
Communication to be Understood by Atsuko Maeda – Japan | 2022
Dark Yellow by Hye-sun Koo – Korea | 2021
Exorcism Master by Taishi Shiode – Japan | 2021
Gratitude by Eita Nagayama – Japan | 2022
High School Girls by Park Ji-wan – Korea | 2008
Hourglass House by Yinghai Hu – China | 2021
How To Get Lost in Your Own Room by Jaehyun Park – Korea | 2021
I am less than zero by Bunji Sotoyama – Japan | 2021
I order you by Ryosuke Hayazaka – Japan | 2021
Influencer by Jared Lee – Malaysia | 2021
Inujima Inuko by Takashi Okado – Japan | 2022
JUDENCHU by Ryotaro Nishi – Japan | 2021
Just Another Summer Day by Toshika Matsuoka – Japan | 2021
Kids of Paradise by Mo Sha – China | 2021
Kung-Fu Skateboarder by Shoyo Miyao – Japan | 2021
Last Call by Eysham Ali – Singapore | 2021
Layers by Takuya Uchiyama – Japan | 2021
Like You by Tetsuya Uesugi – Japan | 2021
Makassar is a City for Football Fans by Khozy Rizal – Indonesia | 2021
Maturity by Nazanin Ghanbarimohammadi – Iran | 2021
Minibus Seed by Kensuke Ashihara – Japan | 2021
Moshari by Nuhash Humayun – Bangladesh | 2022
Over and Over Again by Sho Aoyaqi – Japan | 2022
Penguin Girl by Yuyu Yang – Taiwan | 2022
Recruitment by Nazanin Chitsaz – Iran | 2021
Rooster by Myo Aung – Myanmar | 2021
Sandstorm by Seemab Gul – Pakistan | 2021
Senko-hanabi by Hitomi Kuroki – Japan | 2022
Solar Eclipse by Alireza Ghasemi, Raha Amirfazli – Iran, France | 2021
SOON-TO-BE A ZOMBIE by Yuki Saito – Japan | 2021
Sound of the Night by Sok Chanrado, Kongkea Vann – Cambodia | 2021
Sparklers by Yudai Chiba – Japan | 2022
Spider by Minami Goto – Japan | 2021
Still is by Toshiyuki Ichihara – Japan | 2022
Story by Tina Tamashiro – Japan | 2022
Summer Ends by Yuka Doi – Japan | 2021
Tank Fairy by Erich Rettstadt – Taiwan, US | 2021
The Hands by Seowon Jung – South Korea | 2021
The Headhunter’s Daughter by Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan – Philippines | 2021
THE LIMIT Taxi Girl by Masaya Yoshida – Japan | 2021
The Sea Calls for Me by Tumpai Tampubolon – Indonesia | 2021
The Silent Echo by Suman Sen – India | 2021
The Voice Actress by Anna Takayama – Japan | 2022
Turtle Soup by Martin Hong – Singapore | 2022
Unforgettable by Junki Tachibana – Japan | 2022
Water and Fish by Hina Murata – Japan | 2021
Way Back by Park Yeong – Japan | 2022
Winter by the River by Shuyao Chen – China, US | 2021

Competition Programs

– Non-Fiction Program
In 2018, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of SSFF & ASIA, we established the brand new “Non-fiction Competition.”Being an Academy Awards® accredited short film festival has allowed us to present this competition, which will let the audience experience the power of visual images.

A Man in Chain by Alireza Mirasadollah – UK | 2021
Acts For The Invisible by Kate Vinen – Australia | 2021
Barefoot Empress by Vikas Khanna – India | 2021
Belle River by Guillaume Fournier, Samuel Matteau, Yannick Nolin – Canada, US | 2022
Extra by Nacho Fernandez – Spain | 2021
Fuji by Dino Julius, Luka Hrgovic – Croatia | 2021
Hidden by Jafar Panahi – France, Iran | 2021
Lalito 10 by Jordan Matthew Horowitz – US | 2022
Living While Black, in Japan by Shiho Fukada, Keith Bedford – Japan | 2021
Nuisance Bear by Jack Weisman, Gabriela Osio Vanden – Canada | 2021
Prawn Noodles and a Dream by Ding JIe Ng – Singapore | 2020
Shifting Sands by May Thin Kyi – Myanmar | 2021
The Queen of Basketball by Ben Proudfoot – US | 2021
The road bad and the place dark by Borja Larrondo – Spain | 2021
Where is My Darling? By Adam Finney – Australia | 2021

– Animation Program
The Animation program, offers the audience a chance to enjoy all kind of animated shorts. These top quality films are fun for adults as well as children.

A Descent into The Maelstrom by David Daenemark – Czech Republic | 2020
A Goat’s Spell by Gerhard Funk – Germany | 2022
A Guitar in the Bucket by Boyoung Kim – South Korea | 2021
Absence by Marc Hericher – France | 2021
Airborne by Andrzej Jobczyk – Poland | 2021
Blink in the Desert by Shinobu Soejima – Japan | 2021
Boddyssey by Jonas Bienz – Switzerland | 2022
Crusoe by Shane Acker – US | 2021
Death and the Winemaker by Victor Jaquier – Switzerland | 2021
Fishing by Natsuki Kanetomo – Japan | 2021
Frank the Pig by Hiroshi Imafuku – Japan | 2021
Goodness by Yusuke Gunji – Japan | 2022
Local Middle Schooler by Sanjna Bharadwaj – US | 2021
MARE by Tamaki Ishida, Akito Kawabe – Japan | 2022
Merry Big Mess Sacha Gosselin, Ambre Bohin, Timothé ballan, Amaury Emond, Hugo Joron, Arthur Morle, Antoine Tomasi & Clémence Van Gout – France | 2021
RIM by Hagar Faibish – Germany | 2022
ROBERTO by Carmen Córdoba González – Spain | 2020
Sister by Andrea Szelesvoa – Czech Republic | 2021
Takano Intersection by Mizuki Ito – Japan | 2021
The Seine’s Tears by Yanis Belaid,Eliott Benard,Nicolas Mayeur, Etienne Moulin, Hadrien Pinot, Lisa Vicente, Philippine Singer & Alice Letailleur – France | 2021
The Vandal by Eddie Alcazar – US | 2021
Tio by Juan Medina – Mexico | 2021
Under the skin, the bark by Frank Dion – France | 2021
Unnecessary Things by Dmytro Lisenbart – Ukraine | 2020
Wings to the Sun by Ken Mimura – Canada | 2021

– Smartphone Film Competition supported by Sony’s Xperia
This year’s new competiton to gather short films from around the world that were shot on smartphones. The short films from all over signal the arrival of the era smartphone cinematography. Enjoy the new visual expression unique to shooting on smartphones.

– Cinematic Tokyo Program
Founded in 2017, the “Cinematic Tokyo” program showcases short films introducing the various charms of Tokyo.

Alien In Tokyo by Yoko Higuchi – Japan | 2021
On the way (Hiroki Sato – Promotion Movie) by Yutaka Tsunemachi – Japan | 2021
Pay Phone 702 by Kevin D’Angelo – Japan, US | 2021
Silence in Tokyo by Katsuhiko Mori – Japan | 2021
Tokyo Hyperlapse 2021 by Hideo Ishikawa – Japan | 2021
Tokyo Rain by Michel Wild – Switzerland | 2021

– U-25 Project
Established in 2019. In order to support young filmmakers in Japan, we called for short films of less than 5 minutes, produced by directors under 25 years old.

Special Programs

– Shibuya Diversity Program
Shibuya City has established a basic concept which highlights its future. The aim is to fully establish a global city by developing the concept: “Shibuya— turning differences into strengths”. Shibuya City has collaborated with SSFF & ASIA and will present an award to a short film which promotes diversity and inclusion to spread the basic concept of Shibuya. This program will screen all nominated films, as well as the awarded film. Shibuya welcomes people from all around the world to come and enjoy life, understand each other, and live together in harmony to promote turning differences into strengths for the city’s future. Let’s make Shibuya together!

At Eye Level by Mauro Mueller – Mexico | 2021
Lucky Fish by Emily Jampel – US | 2021
OUT OF TIME by Delphine Montaigne – France | 2020
Room without sound by Takayuki Nakama – Japan | 2021
Ruso by Eti Tsicko – Israel | 2021
The Do’s & Don’ts of Getting Married by Karen Jackson – Australia | 2021
The Flour That Made Us by Sebastian Schnabel – US | 2021
The Story of Seeing Sound by Yusuke Takase – Japan | 2021

– War and the Power to Live Program supported by Red Cross
Wars and other situations of violence ruin many people’s lives all over the world, even in the COVID pandemic. We the Red Cross have seen many conflicts start and escalate in recent years, like what the world is witnessing in Ukraine; but too few of them end, and in each one it is the civilian populations that bear the consequences. People are losing their loved ones as well as a peaceful state of mind. Regardless of where we live, in conflict or in peace, we share the same values for human dignity; sitting down for a meal, chatting with family and friends and spending time with your lover. By projecting those struggling with various types of hardships in this program, we would like you to get to know how they live. Then think about what you can do first to help people around you, and what peace brings and means to you. Let’s spread a sense of caring, peace and tranquility to the world! In doing so, we can contribute to the “Power to Live” of all mankind.

A city without sky by Zain Issa – Syria | 2021
Aysha by Cengiz Akaygn – Germany | 2021
Branka by Ákos K. Kovács – Hungary | 2021
Ca * Dence by Michael Mike Canon – US | 2021
Hope – Why we can’t save her life by International Committee of Red Cross – 2018
In a Girl’s Arms by Anton Mamykin – Russia | 2021
Little Berlin by Kate McMullen – France | 2021
Migrants by Hugo Caby, Antoine Dupriez, Aubin Kubiak, Lucas Lermytte & Zo? Devise – France | 2020
Nahrani by Simon Pfister – Germany | 2021
Rest in Piece by Antoine Antabi – Germany, France, Qatar | 2022
Stereotype by Nahyun Beak, Dahyun Beak – US, South Korea | 2021
The Blanket by Teppo Airaksinen – Finland | 2022
Winter of ‘ 79 by Julia Elihu – US | 2021
Yallah! By Nayla Nassar,Edouard Pitula,Renaud de Saint Albin, C?cile Adant, Ana?s Sassatelli & Candice Behague – France | 2021

– Ladies for Cinema Project
This program is here to encourage all female filmmakers, showing the strong will and unique perspectives of women.

– Focus on Japan Special Program
Selected works by four directors who are highly acclaimed both from Japan and abroad will be screened. What is the message they want to convey through human relationships? A rich selection of genres including drama, animation, and vertical short films.

#love_delusion (From in you Tokyo) by Hana Matsumoto – Japan | 2020
Beyond the afterglow by Woo Jacky – Japan | 2021
Parent’s Day by Mana Yasuda – Japan | 2021
Snail and Hedgehog by Isamu Hirabayashi – Japan | 2021

– KIDS Program
Experience the world through short films！Centered on non-dialogue works, this program will draw both adults and children in.

CO COTTON by Yu yat Tung – Hong Kong | 2021
Fox for Edgar by Pauline Kortmann – Germany | 2021
Hopper’s Day by Jingqi Zhang – US | 2021
HuManatee by Sea Jin Park – South Korea | 2021
ITCHY THE CAMEL: RAKES by Anders Beer & PH Dallaire – Canada | 2021
Komaneko, Home Alone by Tsuneo Goda – Japan | 2013
Liv&Bell “Bell’s long thin friend” by Natsuki Kida – Japan | 2021
Lost Brain by Isabelle Favez – Switzerland | 2022
MEDAME – eyeball – by Anna Yamamoto – Japan | 2021
Pure by Olga Jolanta Przytua – Poland | 2021
The Boat by David Robinson & Bryan Mills – UK | 2021
The Forgotten Floss by Paul Wong – New Zealand | 2020

– Okinawa Program
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the return of Okinawa’s administrative authority to Japan on May 15 this year, Yomiuri Land will hold Okinawa WEEK! In collaboration with this event, we will present a program of short films that are set in or feature Okinawa as a theme.

THE CHOSEN ONE by Gori – Japan | 2017
Mother of the Groom by Tsukasa Kishimoto – Japan | 2011
A Woman Who Acts by Toshiyuki Teruya – Japan | 2020
Heaven’s Island by Naoko Tajima – Japan | 2010
NAGISA by Toshiyuki Teruya – Japan | 2018
Kerama Blue by Tsukasa Kishimoto – Japan | 2015
GOAT-WALKING by Ryugo Nakamura – Japan | 2009
Born, Bone, Boon by Gori – Japan | 2016
A Distant Time Under the Moonlight by Tsukasa Kishimoto – Japan | 2018
Small island beauty salon by Magoari Yamazato – Japan | 2018

“DOOR™” Theater supported by NTT Program
The world’s best short films and VR SHORTS, which have won awards at film festivals around the world, will be simultaneously delivered in a 3D venue. Please experience this year’s theme, “Meta Cinema – Transcend, Discover, Begin” at DOOR!

The Real Things by Benoit Felici, Mathias Chelebourg – France | 2018 (VR)
Clap by Keisuke Itoh – Japan | 2021 (VR)
COLOSSE by Nick Pittom – UK | 20215 (VR)
The Eleven O’Clock by Derin Seale – Australia | 2016
The Game by Roman Hodel – Switzerland | 2020
Good Luck Marc by Ronen Eldar – UK | 2016
Only a Child by Simone Giampaolo – Switzerland | 2020
One 2 One by Nestor Ruiz Medina – Spain | 2020
ODYSSEY 1.4.9 by Francois Vaultier – France | 2019 (VR)

– Game Movie Program
Selected screenings of animation shorts created using game engines and films adapted from the world of games.

– Japanese Filmmakers on the Rise
Who will be the next Ryusuke Hamaguchi? Featuring short films by some of the hottest SSFF & ASIA nominated filmmakers who have been garnering attention at home and abroad!

6legs by Isamu Hirabayashi – Japan | 2020
A Butter Fly on Her Chest by Yuki Saito – Japan | 2012
A Little World by Michihito Fujii – Japan | 2011
A piece of Dogu by Yukinori Makabe – Japan | 2013
A Warm Spell by Toshimichi Saito – Japan | 2014
Blood Ties by Ken Ochiai – Japan, US | 2021
Blue by Yukinori Makabe – Japan | 2014
DECEMBER 17 by Yuji Hariu – Japan | 2016
Deep Lbue by Kazukito Nakae – Japan | 2011
Duet by Toshimichi Saito – Japan, US | 2010
Frog in The Well by Ken Ochiai – Japan | 2011
Gotham Jumble Parfait by Yuki Saito – Japan | 2015
Half Kanneth by Ken Ochial – Japan, US | 2008
Kichijoji Go Go by Raita Yabushita – Japan | 2020
OCTOPUS by Isamu Hirabayashi – Japan | 2015
The Devil in the Afternoon by Mayu Nakamura – Japan | 2017
The Soundman¿s Love by Toshimichi Saito – Japan, US | 2011
Tokyo 21st October by Hiroshi Okuyama – Japan | 2018
TSUYAKO by Hikari – Japan, US | 2011
WHERE WE BEGIN by Hikari – Japan | 2015
Yukotopia by Daigo Matsui – Japan | 2016