SHORT SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL & ASIA 2009
Award Winners- Official Competition
The Grand Prix is selected from within the three Best Short Film Award winners. The film will be eligible for an Academy Award® nomination in the short film category for the following year.
We were all so blown away that the Short Shorts Film Festival selected "Love You More" so to win is truly fantastic. I wish so much that I could be there but you are all better off with a rock star than an over tired director who has been in the dark editing for weeks ! Thank you so much we are all thrilled.
BUZZCOCKS / Pete Shelley
"Z046" Fu-Hsiang Hsu Prize: 600,000yen
All those who come to Z046 have one purpose, and one purpose only, to hide their secrets. It is our job to hide these secrets in their destined rooms. Four mysterious people, 15 minutes, will decide everyone's destiny.
I'm honored to be receiving this award from such a prestigious film festival and its board of judges. My team and I have spent a long time perfecting this work and are happy to see the fruit of our labor gaining this kind of international recognition.
Although this film is yet to be shown in Taiwan, we believe it's visibility on the international stage will encourage other filmmakers and dreamers in Taiwan to pursue their own dreams. I'd like to thank the film festival for making the dreams of these dreammakers come true, so we have an opportunity to continue making films. The Short Shorts Film Festival has really been a wonderful platform for showcasing our work and for meeting others who are also in this field.
I hope to return again to the Short Shorts Film Festival with more future works that make you laugh with its black humor, retro-modern styling, and absurdity.
I'd like to thank the entire team that has worked with me through this project. They have all worked very hard to make this film come to life. Finally, thank you to all the people who have supported me throughout this time.
"Half Kenneth" Ken Ochiai Prize: 600,000yen
Ken and Jo are adolescent Japanese-American, and have been imprisoned in the Manzanar War Relocation Camp for three years since the start of the war. After the death of their father, they escape internment to find their Caucasian mother…
I'm so grateful to have received such a high honor with this award from a jury of respected filmmakers and artists and to have had a chance to meet such talented filmmakers from around the world. Until I went to America, I didn't know about the story about Japanese-Americans. As I began my research and interviews, I learned that this story was what we were inheriting from the older generation. That history is the hard-earned reputation of Japanese and Japanese-Americans as having diligence, endurance, and a strong will, all good qualities. My hope is that, through films, I can pass on that "inheritance" to the nex generation. I'd like to give special thanks to the following: my producer and crew, Mr. Shikama of the BE Group, "genius" child-actors - the Denis brothers, veteran actors - Chris Tajima & Sabu Shimono, the sponsors who believed in us, the SSFF, my friends and family. Language, race, money, borders. The many barriers that we face. The joy of facing up to those barriers and chasing after our dreams, as a director I aim to keep moving forward step by step. I appreciate your support.
"Love You More" Sam Taylor-Wood Prize: 600,000yen
London, summer of 1978. Peter is drawn to classmate Georgia who ignores him in class. At a local record shop to buy the new Buzzcocks single "Love You More", Peter gets the last copy. Georgia comes in looking for the same record. She invites him to listen to it at her home...
"Cannes International Film Festival 2008 (France) "
"Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2009 (USA) Bruce Corwin Award (Best Short) "
"Sundance Film Festival 2009 (USA) Jury Special Mention"