SHORT SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL & ASIA 2015

For our 2nd screening today, we were joined by cast & crew for 3 different shorts from Taiwan, Indonesia & Japan.

1st up was lovely actress Wu Ke-Xi who starred in “Jump Off Or Live On” about a suicidal young woman who meets a mysterious man on the roof of a building in downtown Taipei. She revealed when asked that they could only shoot late at night & the various noises like ambulances & helicopters were later added on by the director for dramatic effect. She also said that the midnight shoot was done last March & it was very very cold which made things a little difficult for the actress trying to get into & stay in character.

Next was director Vera Ita Lestafa & her producer Yulia Evina Bhara who came to Japan for their short titled “Return To Sender.” This non-dialogue short is about a young girl who carries her memories in a suitcase & takes a trip through her life on a train to nowhere. When asked, she replied that she wanted to make the film without dialogue because people carry their memories & emotions inside themselves & she wanted to make it easier for the audience to relate to the film with their own memories & experiences. BTW: Vera is 6 months along with child & was glad for the experience of coming to Japan while she could! Best of health & luck to a very talented director!

Last up was festival regular Japanese director Yuki Saito who brought his new short “Gotham Jumble Parfait” about a police detective who has apprehended a gangster in a diner. He also brought along two of his cast members, the wonderfully talented Akiko Takeuchi & Yuki Shoji. Akin plays a middle-aged waitress who has to experience a frightening & bloody experience… or so it seems. In the interest of those who have yet to see this very cool “Tarantino-esque” short, I won’t reveal anything else other than when asked by the audience, it was NOT made clear if there actually is an ice cream parfait called Gotham Jumble Parfait (you have to see it to get it).

A good Q&A to a great program. One more to go.

DJ John