SHORT SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL & ASIA 2015

So the time has come once again to close the festival. The final program, “Asia International & Japan E” set a record of sorts in that there were guests for the post-screening Q&A of all 5 shorts that were screened! Let’s get started.

Doyeon No from Korea talked about his short “Human Form” about a young girl who wants plastic surgery  on her face because well, everyone else has. And I mean EVERYONE. When I told Doyeon his short reminded me of an old Twilight Zone episode, he told us that yes, he is also a fan of the series & that was exactly the creepy atmosphere he wanted to create. Plastic surgery has become so popular among the women of Korea that it’s become a social problem as well with too many young teens unnecessarily wanting to have it done.

Cheng Dong from China & his short film “Cloud & Mud” about a wanted criminal on the run who is shown kindness by the old owner of a pork bun shop with the gift a couple of steaming hot pork buns. He then decides to turn himself in & go straight. Cheng based the short on a real incident & made the short on location in an industrial area just outside of Beijing.

Former Best Short Award winner Kimie Tanaka made a return to our festival with her short “Hide & Seek” about two brothers; 1 who is a caregiver for the elderly & the other is a shut-in. Their “separate” lives are forced together when their mother suddenly dies. Kimie digs deep into the dynamics of this one family & her sensitive but un-flinching depiction shows us the difficulties facing a family with a member who suffers from being a shut-in, something that unfortunately happens to many families here in Japan. Kimie is fast becoming a director with a sure hand & as in her previous efforts, the actors always remark on how she is an actor’s director & enjoyed working with her. Definitely more good things can be expected from this young talent!

Director Akiko Izumitani cam out from L.A. where she made her action short “The Other Side,” about both sides of a battle between the “good guys” & the “bad guys.” She told the audience that she wanted to show both sides of the story in a cop vs criminals action film. And she’s right, you always only get the good guys side of the story & she uses excellent editing & storyline manipulation 2 show both sides in roughly 15 minutes. Great job Akiko!

And finally, veteran Japanese director Kaizo Hayashi brough his leading lady Salala Tsukifune for the showing of his excellent short “Good Year.” He had the full room laughing when he told us that he had experienced a rather bad year & thought that if he made a film titled “Good Year” at the end of the year he #1 wouldn’t have to spend the year-end season alone & #2 he may have a “good year” the following year! His short is about a lone man in his cluttered old garage set in a desolate snowscape who is interrupted by the sudden appearance of a mysterious femme fatale who becomes that catalyst to bring him out “hibernation.” He also revealed that this short is Part 2 of a 2-part or maybe a 3-part series & he plans to shoot the prequel, Part 1 sometime later this year. Judging from this one, can’t wait!

And draws the festival to close this year. Thanks to all who attended, the excellent staff in the various venues of the screenings & events, a HUGE thanks to the many volunteers without who we couldn’t hold a film festival of this magnitude each year. Now there’s on all important event left tomorrow, the Awards Ceremony!

Thanks all & see you next year!

DJ John