Official Competition
The film chosen will be eligible for an Academy Awards® nomination in one of the short film categories.
Official Competition International
An official competition program that screens short films from every corner of the world, with the exception of Asia and Japan.
Official Competition Asia International
An official competition program of international short films that presents works from throughout Asia, with the exception of Japan.
Official Competition Japan
An official competition that examines short films from Japan.
Governor of Tokyo Award
This award will be given to the films awarded Best Short in both the Asia International and Japan Competitions.
Hikari TV Award
This award will be presented to adirector from the Japan Competition. The winner will be chosen based on who they consider has the best ability to deliver the allure of 4K. The chosen winner will be given the chance to direct a Koriginal short film with NTT Plala.
Audience Award
Audience members will vote to give the award to one winner from the each of the main competition categories listed.
Best Actor/Best Actress
Winners will be selected from within each of the three official competitions (International, Asia International & Japan Competition).
Other Competitions
Competitions and Projects selected with various theme.
Save the Earth! Competition
supported by RINREI
This competition was launched with the Ministry of the Environment (Japan) in 2008. It gathers a wide variety of films that approach environmental issues and offer enlightening ideas about protecting the environment. Since 2017, RINREI WAX CO.,LTD. supports this competition.
Best Short Award (Minister’s Award, the Ministry of Environment)
This award will be given to the best film in the Save the Earth! Competition supported by RINREI as chosen by the three jury members.
J-WAVE Award
The J-me Cinema Circle jury will select the award winner from Save the Earth! Competition supported by RINREI.
CG Animation Competition
The CG Competition began in 2011 and offers a chance to enjoy full CG animation shorts.
Best Short Award
This award will be given to the best film in the CG Animation Competition as chosen by the 3 jury memebers, Digital HollywoodCo.,Ltd. and Committee for Short Shorts.
Cinematic Tokyo Competition
Newly established for 2017, Cinematic Tokyo Competition introduces short films that take "Tokyo" as their subject. It shows the many attractions that Tokyo has to offer
Best Short Award
This award will be given to the best film in the Cinematic Tokyo Competition. The Governor of Tokyo Award is also given to this film.
Music Shorts Competition
The Music Shorts Competition, established in 2009, presents a fun program showing the fusion of music and video. It introduces short films that have a story much like a normal film, but with the added pleasure of music.
Best Short Award
This award will be given to the most creative film submitted by filmmakers inspired by artists' music.
Music Video Competition
Started from 2016, the Music Video Competition introduces official music videos created for artists from Japan and around the world. We have gathered a selection of the most cinematic and innovative works that deliver dramatic narratives, told as if from a short film perspective.
Best Short Award
This award will be given to the official music video which is most cinematic and innovative.
BRANDED SHORTS
This is a category for movies that are produced with the goal of communicating with customers in services/activities and promoting the brands of companies/organizations (branded movies).
Branded Shorts of the Year Inter National Category
This award will be given to the best film made in abroad by 7 criteria—cinematic, storytelling, emotional appeal, idea, originality, production quality, and global essence.
Branded Shorts of the Year National Category
This award will be given to the best film made in Japan by 7 criteria—cinematic, storytelling, emotional appeal, idea, originality, production quality, and global essence.
Book Shorts Award
This is a literature award which connects with short films. It’s a year-round project where we publicly seek out short novels based on fairy tales, old stories, folk tales, and novels on our website.
Best Award
We will give the award to one work from the monthly best works. Prize: 1,000,000 yen, and the work will be made into a short film.
The Project of Visual Tourism Award
An award given to the film that best promotes tourism through visual creativity, topicality, and potentiality.
Visual Tourism Award, Japan Tourism Argency Commisioner's Award
For the best work as for creativity, promotion and newsworthiness in regard to tourism promotion, the Visual Tourism Award will be given (Japan Tourism Argency Commisioner's Award).
The Project of International Visual Tourism Award
This Award was newly created in 2017 to introduce the marvelous tourism promotion films/videos to Japan. The goal of this Award is to contribute to the advancement of regional promotion films inside Japan by learning from instances overseas. Works produced all over the world, excluding Japan, are eligible.
Visual Tourism International Award
The Best Foreign video that is awarded from the perspective of what will contribute to the development of regional promotion videos in Japan.
VISIT JAPAN Special Award
Ambassador from VISIT JAPAN choose the video from the Visual Tourism Award International category that they think it can contribute to the development of tourism promotion in Japan.
Other Awards
Shibuya Diversity Award
We will give an award to a work from a selection that picture diversity and inclusion, which are the part of the educational activities to spread the fundamental plan of Shibuya Ward.
FutureCity Yokohama Award
This award is given to the film that best depicts a future lifestyle that is environmentally friendly and makes use of technological advancements, as chosen by City of Yokohama and Committee for Short Shorts.
Fashion Short of the Year
This award will be given to the most cinematic short film produced by a fashion brand.
Spotlight Award
This award is given to the creator or artist of a short film that inspires a broad audience and receives widespread public attention, as chosen by the Committee for Short Shorts.
Special Mention
Selected by the Committee for Short Shorts, this award is given to the creator or artist of a short film that inspires a broad audience and receives widespread, global attention.
Ibaraki Short Film Award
This award was established to promote films that capture the attractive elements of Ibaraki - scenic locations, culture, food – and introduce them to Japan and the rest of the world.
Kitemiru Kawagoe Short Film Award
A competition of movies only filmed in the Kawagoe area. It's aims to discover the local attractiveness and spreads this through movies.