SHORT SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL & ASIA 2015

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Commissioned Project: Project Introducing The Attraction Of Japanese Food And Food Culture

Short film “Shabu-Shabu Spirit” has its World Premiere and begins streaming online today, March 25. Five short films on the theme “WA – SHOKU” (Japanese Food) also began screening online free of charge!

In December 2014, Wa-shoku – traditional Japanese cuisine and food culture – was recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Japan is home to diverse and abundant nature, and has nurtured its own original food culture. The “practice” of this “cuisine,” which is rooted in the unique Japanese temperament, is understood as a “culture” that should be protected by Japan.

On this occasion, Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA), one of the largest international short film festivals in Asia, has collaborated with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to launch “Project Introducing The Attraction Of Japanese Food And Food Culture,” designed to spread the attraction of Japanese Food and Japanese Food Culture throughout Japan and the rest of the world.

Under this project, a Special Production Short Film titled “Shabu-Shabu Spirit” has been produced. This short film will be screening online in full from 25th March (Wed) alongside an additional “WA – SHOKU (Japanese Food) Program,” which includes five short films carefully selected around the Japanese Food theme. Furthermore, “Shabu-Shabu Spirit” will go on to screen at Expo Milano 2015, taking place in Milan, Italy as of 1st May 2015. Through such activities, we shall be continuing to publicize Japanese Food and Japanese Food Culture.

Shabu-Shabu Spirit
Yuki Saito / Japan / 2015 / comedy / 10:32
A fiancé, Keita, goes to meet the family, and the father, Shozo, begins his secret appraisal – a test to see whether this fiancé is worthy or not of marrying his daughter. Trying to reduce the distance between them, the mother prepares a single nabe (cooking pot) for the shabu-shabu meal. As Shozo’s eyes glint brightly, Keita reaches towards the shabu-shabu.
Home page：http://www.shortshorts.org/shabu-shabu-spirit/index-en.html
WA – SHOKU (Japanese Food) Program Lineup

Noodles
Jordan Feldman / France / 2004 / Romance / 5:30
Françoise’s arrival in a Japanese restaurant at lunchtime causes a chain reaction.

Izakaya HAGAKURE
Hatsuhiko Kaneda / Japan / 2012 / Drama / 11:00
An average day at a small izakaya doing steady business in the corner of a residential area is depicted in a matter-of-fact way. What thoughts run through the mind of the shop’s owner?

Fully cooked for you
Yuka Imabayashi / Japan / 2011 / Animation / 3:44
A mother is making a traditional New Year’s vegetable dish for the family, and her child is watching. The ingredients are animals of peas, carrots, burdock root and konjak. Enjoy the dish!

Teppanyaki
Matthew Fisher / USA / 2014 / 10:34
Mono no aware – Japanese for ‘sadness for the transience of things.’ This story explores the environment of the teppanyaki restaurant through the eyes of an aging chef. A slice-of-life meditation on life’s fading joys, and its moments of rejuvenation.

A Sushi Love Story
Mike Blaney / USA / 2010 / Animation / 2:00
A young sushi is torn between love at home and adventure abroad.