9 Short Films you shouldn’t miss at the Nara International Film Festival

By Asian Film Festival on September 16, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

These are nine short films you shouldn’t miss at the Nara International Film Festival which will take place from September 17 – 24, 2022 in Nara, Japan.

**All Summer Long** by Yuki Horiuchi – Japan | 2022
**Section**: NARA-wave

That night was a little bit special… because of that feeling that young people have when summer is coming to an end. Yamanobe and Kimi are jobhunting, but their scheduled interviews have suddenly been postponed. Syuichi makes a phone call to Rinko, who used to be a caretaker for his baseball team. Kento and Kyoko are working part time at a convenience store. In a seaside town, their unforgettable night begins. (NaraIFF 2022)

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**Barefoot** by Hiromi Tanoue – Japan | 2022
**Section**: NARA-wave

Hana Ishikawa, a high school student, lives with her older sister and mother. At first, Hana seems to live a peaceful life both at home and at school, but her family’s troubles and a crack in her environment slowly becomes more obvious. Her mother is emotionally unstable, her sister does not accept this and tries leave home, and she is torn between her dreams and reality. Hana, with a broken heart, has to make a small but serious choice. (NaraIFF 2022)

**Barefoot Empress** by Vikas Khanna – India | 2021
**Section**: Youth Juror Program

96-year-old Karthiyani Amma lived a life sweeping temples in India. Decades later she broke with tradition returning to school. There, she shattered expectations, earning the top score in her class. Her inspirational story is proof that it’s never too late to realize your dreams. (NaraIFF 2022)

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**May You Rest in Peace** by Li Xiong – Japan | 2021
**Section**: NARA-wave

In China, keeping human remains perfect, as per tradition, is believed to be the best offering for those who have passed away. This is why many people in poor regions or rural areas who suffer from educational inequalities, reject the idea of donating bodies to science. On the other hand, in new cities like Shenzhen, more and more people accept these donations and quite a few young people offer to donate their bodies after death. Today, the gap between those who follow the traditional idea and those who understand the modern system, is widening in China.

This film follows Gao Min, China’s leading coordinator for body donations, as he works and describes how painful it is to live, die, love, and say goodbye, through the stories of three body donations. (NaraIFF 2022)

**Stray Cat** by Yoon Solbeen – Korea | 2021
**Section**: NARA-wave

After her father remarried, Yoon Seul lived with Jae Yoon who was about the same age as her. (NaraIFF 2022)

**The Hands** by Seowon Jung – Korea | 2021
**Section**: Youth Juror Program

Sign language interpreter Doh-young learns of his wife’s delivery for the newborn bay during his live interpretation for a case briefing. In his own way, Doh-young conveys his warm feelings towards his wife and the newborn child. (NaraIFF 2022)

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**The Two on the Stairs** by Asahi Inoue – Japan | 2022
**Section**: NARA-wave

Sachiko, who is now married and a homemaker, is contacted by her junior, Megumi, who asks to meet at a coffee shop. Megumi does not reveal anything about why she has come to Tokyo, except for work. Sachiko tries to get through this uncomfortable conversation by faking a smile because she can’t even remember Megumi’s nickname. When some time passes, they happen to go to Sachiko’s house, where Megumi gets a glimpse of Sachiko’s everyday life. (NaraIFF 2022)

**The Voice Actress** by Anna Takayama – Japan | 2022
**Section**: Youth Juror Program

Kingyo, a veteran voice actress working in Tokyo, possesses a unique ability to see the soul in all things, living and inanimate. The voice acting world is changing and she must find a way to reconcile her way of living with the modern industry. (NaraIFF 2022)

**The Water Murmurs** by Jianying Chen – China | 2022
Section: Invitation Films from Cannes

When an asteroid hits the Earth leading to underwater volcanic eruptions, the inhabitants of a small riverside town start to flee inland. Before she leaves, Nian decides to say goodbye to her childhood friend. Her memories of the town start to become clearer and clearer in her mind on this journey. (NaraIFF 2022)

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