Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2010

Eiji Okuda was born March 18, 1950 in Kasugai, Aichi prefecture. He is an artist, actor, and director.

He studied under the late actor Shigeru Amachi. He distinguished himself in the starring role of the 1979 film “Motto Shinayakani, Motto Shitatakani” directed by Toshiya Fujita. He was awarded 9 best actor awards including the Blue Ribbon Award for his role in “Bou no Kanashimi,” directed by Tatsumi Kumashiro in 1986. He directed “An Adolescent” in 2001. His third film as director “A Long Walk,” won the Grand Prix at the 30th Montreal International Film Festival in addition to the International Critics Award and the Ecumenical Jury Award. He was a jurist at the Montreal International Film Festival in 2009.

Sai Yoichi was born in 1949 in Nagano prefecture.

n 1976 he served as assistant director under Nagisa Ooshima on the film “Ai No Korida.” He debuted as director in 1983 with the film “Jukkai no Mosquito.” His 1993 film “All Under the Moon” won the Japan Academy award as well as many others. He moved to Korea in 1996 to study. Other films as director include “Itsuka Darekaga Korosareru,” “Hana no Asuka Gumi,” “A Sign Days,” “Marks,” “Dog Race,” “Buta no Mukui,” “Doing Time,” “Quill,” and “Blood and Bones.” His latest movie “Kamui” was released in October, 2009. He is currently the president of the Director’s Guild of Japan

Eriko was born in Tokyo on December 19, 1981. She debuted in “Play Girl” in 2003. Her role in director Hideaki Anno’s “Cutie Honey” in 2004, received critical praise and established her credentials as an actress. She appeared in the 2007 movie “Funuke-domo, Kanashimi ni Ai Wo Misero” which was submitted to the 60th Cannes Film Festival and won her the Best Actress Award at the Yokohama International Film Festival. She steadily built her career as an actress with a wide range. In 2009 she starred in “Shayou” which was made to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Osamu Dazai. In 2010 she has already appeared in “Subete wa Umi ni Naru” and “Nanase Futabashi THE MOVIE” will be released in September. She has shown her range in a variety of places including appearances on TV shows and in commercials, as well as writing articles and appearing in magazines.

*The Jurors are listed in Japanese syllabary order.