Information

The Grand Prix, “George Lucas Award” was awarded to ”WARSHA” directed by Dania Bdeir!                                                        

 All 5 Best Short Award-winning films become eligible for Academy Awards®︎ – Best Short Film Nominations!

“Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA) 2022,” one of the largest international short film festivals in Asia, & accredited  by the Academy Awards®︎, held its Award Ceremony at the historic Meiji Jingu Hall on Monday, June 20, 2022. At the ceremony, a total of five films, which will be the largest number from a Japanese film festival, will be eligible for nomination at the Academy Awards®︎ the following year. Other announcements & appearances  were for the  TOKYO Project that conveys the worldwide appeal of Tokyo, & director Naomi Kawase, who directed the documentary of the Tokyo Olympics held in 2021 was an official  selection at Cannes, made an appearance on stage along many other guests.

The Grand Prix, “George Lucas Award” -awarded to ”Warsha” directed by Dania Bdeir!
In addition to the Grand Prix from the “Official Competitions supported by Sony,” the Best Shorts from
the Non-Fiction and Animation Competitions will also be eligible for nomination at next year’s Academy Awards®︎. After announcing the Grand Prix, festivalpresident Besshopraised Dania Bdeir, “A wonderful film in all aspects of storytelling, visuals, acting. Each moment & emotion was depicted in great detail,
& it was a work with overwhelming beauty and power that drew the audience into the world of the film.”

Star-studded guests from various fields celebrated the ceremony on stage!

The ceremony began with an opening greeting by Tetsuya Bessho, the President of the film festival. This year, festival ambassador, LiLiCo broadcasted from the special online talk studio set up in front of the red carpet. Genta Aoki and Rie Mochizuki were the MCs. Appearing on stage were Takayuki Yamada and Asami Mizukawa appeared on the stage during the ceremony for MIRRORLIAR FILMS Season 4, & as judges of the Official Competitions, supported by Sony, Eiji Okuda, Makiko Watanabe, & Hyunri. Also appearing for “Samurai Swordfish,” produced in collaboration with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government & the film festival, were Hiroki Iijima, Marty Friedman, para-athlete Keisei Kawahara, & the presenter of the Hoppy Happy Awards, Sara Ogawa, who starred in the film “Inujima Inuko“ which was directed by the first Hoppy Happy Award winner. In addition, Misaki Hattori, Ririka Kawashima, & Koh Ikeda, who appeared in the short film ” “Mom’s Celestial Robe of Feathers”” produced by the film festival & sponsored by Japan Expo, as well as Director Naomi Kawase. For the Cinematic Tokyo section, Yuriko Koike, the Governor of Tokyo made an appearance & gave words of support for the festival.

At the Award Ceremony, Best Shorts from various competitions & projects were announced!

• Cinematic Tokyo Competition

Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo, took the stage & gave her thoughts, “Congratulations to all the award-winning directors. I announced the Best Short Award at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government & I hope that this festival will be the “trigger” to send many talented creators out to the world. Films have the power to deepen the connections between people’s hearts. I hope the rich traditions, culture, and art of Asia will make for a society where we can connect while respecting individuality and each other’s way of thinking.”

• Non-Fiction Competiton＆ Official Competition supported by Sony

Announcement of awards in 3 categories (International / Asia International / Japan) of the “Official Competition supported by Sony ,” which will be eligible for nomination in the short film category at the Academy Awards®︎ next year, as well as the Non-Fiction  and Animation Competitions. Seven jurors, including Eiji Okuda, Makiko Watanabe, Kiki Sugino, Hyunri, Yoko Narahashi, and Shinji Higuchi, invited director Masaya Yoshida, who won the Japan Competition, to the stage. Pascal Faure, Hassan Fazili, and Yun Jae-ho, who also served as judges, appeared online. When asked about his impressions of films, Makiko Watanabe said, “The judging went smoothly, and I felt that the award-winning “Nuisance  Bear” was quiet but passionate. I think it was a beautiful film that spoke to many people, not just about the problems of the area. All the judges unanimously selected this work.”

Mr. Hirotaka Kobori of the Sony Group Corporation also took to the stage, saying, “I hope not only from the perspective of family and friends, but also from the perspectives of immigrants and refugees, and from the sad events that are actually happening in social instability.” There were many films that had the power of discovery. In addition, there a was  film by a 15-year-old in the smartphone films, and I am looking forward to more from him in the future.”

• Smartphone Film Competition supported by Sony’s Xperia　

Announcement of the winner selected from 15 nominated films out of 602 submissions from 72 countries and regions around the world. Actor Eiji Okuda was a juror for this competition and when asked his impressions, he said, “There were many works that did not make me feel that it was shot with a smartphone. Even if I couldn’t find a sponsor, I thought that if I took a picture with my smartphone, I could make a film that was not inferior to films shot with a movie camera. As a filmmaker, I strongly felt that if you rehearse thoroughly and shoot from all directions with a smartphone, you can complete a scene that normally costs 100 million yen with just a smartphone.”

• Samurai Swordfish

“Samurai Swordfish,” was produced in collaboration with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government & Short Shorts as part of the “Cinema Sports Project” to depict the appeal & allure of Tokyo in a short film. Hiroki Iijima, Keisei Kawahara, Marty Friedman, who starred in the film, and director Hiroki Horanai appeared on stage. When the MC touched on the fact that he swam 100m in one take in the latter half of the movie, Mr. Iijima enthusiastically talked about his feelings for the lead role saying, “Before entering the set, I went to study some para-swimmers and realized that not only speed but also power & the will to finish to the end were key points. I felt the fight against myself, ”swimming“ again. In the actual shooting, my body became stiff at around 75m, and I started to worry but kept going willing to sacrifice myself to finish. This time, I was able to play the role Eisuke Kajiki, and I am very happy that many people will see it.” Mr. Kawahara, a para-athlete who appeared in a film for the first time, said, “I was very nervous about my debut role in the film, but the acting called for a person battling with disabilities was something I’ve been through already so that really helped. I could understand the dialogue and emotions in the script and I’m glad that I was able to play this role.  Marty Friedman said that this film conveys the charm of Tokyo, ”I think that Tokyo is a city where you can enjoy the soul of the past while living in the current times. And it‘s a city that’s never boring and I think it‘s a city that has an exquisite balance as a whole, including respect for the past. Finally, in a video message from Maito Fujioka, “I hope this work will be seen all over the world and convey the wonders of Tokyo and para-athletes.”
(This film can be seen with multiple language sub-titles on​​ the festival YouTube channel https://youtu.be/D2Tsiy-h81c

• HOPPY HAPPY AWARD

For the HOPPY HAPPY AWARD, Sara Ogawa, who appeared in the film “Inujima Inuko” directed by the 1st Hoppy Happy Award-winning director and this year’s award winner were on stage with Mina Ishiwatari, President of Hoppy Beverage as presenters. “I was close to my  grandfather & grandmother so I was able to work with a warm connection. Also, Inujima in Okayama Prefecture, the location of the picture, is a wonderful place with interesting architecture and rich nature. She added, “What our second president told us was that we are able to work hard thanks to a strong family at home. But now, I think that the importance of family is diminishing in society. But when I saw the award-winning film, I thought that it was a story that portrays the connections in a  family and contains message for present society. “Inujima Inuko” can be seen in the online short film channel “Hoppy Happy Theater.”

• Animation Competition

Director Masaya Kakehi and Juri Manase, who served as jurors, appeared. Juri said, “The difficulty with short films that is different from a feature film is whether it conveys the story properly in a limited short time, and where to cut & edit to make it work. As entertainment, I felt the tempo grabbed the audience from the beginning and the world depicted kept you engaged to the end.” Tomoyuki Sugiyama, juror and sponsor of the award for Digital Hollywood University, said in a video message, “This time, the expression techniques and art direction were wonderful, and it was harder than usual to select a winner. In the third year of Covid-19 & the war in Ukraine that broke out in the midst of instability in the whole world, I strongly sympathized with the work that captured social issues. There were more than 10 films that could have won the Grand Prix, and many of them made me contemplate from various perspectives.

• Japan Expo sponsored and co-sponsored project “Mom’s Celestial Robe of Feathers”

Misaki Hattori, Ririka Kawashima, and Koh Ikeda, who appeared in the short film “Okaa no Hagoromo” produced by the film festival as a co-sponsored project sponsored by the Japan Expo, appeared on stage with director Kazuhiro Taira. Misaki Hattori, in her first starring role, said, “I played a role that was full of dissatisfaction & dislikes in the world, but with felt warm feelings toward my family while rebelling. I would be happy if that was felt by the audience. Although it was my first starring role, thanks to the kind staff, I was able to relax & it felt it was a team effort.

“Mom’s Celestial Robe of Feathers” is available for viewing on the festival YouTube channel.　https://youtu.be/SxptWcCsVA0

• MIRRORLIAR FILMS

MIRRORLIAR FILMS Season 4. Guests were Takayuki Yamada, Asami Mizukawa, director GAZEBO, & producer Chikara Ito. Takayuki Yamada

said, “Most of the films have already been shot, but now we have to arrange the nine films for presentation to the public. I think again we have a lot of unique films.“ Actress Asami Mizukawa, said of her directorial debut, “It was a very valuable experience. Although I was supposed to be the “director” who knows every aspect, there were many discoveries of things I didn’t know.” Of her film, she said, “The theme is the daily life of one man & the joy and sadness that occurs in daily life. Your feelings will depending on how you face it.” I felt that my husband, Masataka Kubota would best play the role of this man & I could direct him without concerns. When I offered it, I was happy that he agreed.”

Finally, Mr. Yamada said, “It’s been a year since season 1. Many people participated and we were able to show the possibilities of short films. I think it would be great if we could take on new challenges and widen the circle of ”film people.”

• NEW PROJECT 『THE RHETORIC STAR』 Announcement

Coin Post CEO Takahito Kagami & movie director Taichi takes the stage. Introducing the social suspense film “THE RHETORIC STAR” on the subject of cryptocurrencies. This project funds through NFT’s & Festival President Bessho said, “We are paying close attention to this form of filmmaking in the Web 3.0 era. I would like to propose a seminar with everyone from “Rhetoric Star” on how NFT can be used in filmmaking.

• NEW PROJECT 『 Kodansha Cinema Creators Lab supported by ShortShorts』 Announcement

Kodansha announces a project to call out for projects from around the world & produce films under the catchphrase ”You will be given ¥10,000,000 so why don’t we make a short film?” With serious intent aimed at the world, this film festival will support the production of the project. Yoshinobu Noma, President and CEO of Kodansha, said, “Since its founding, we have discovered, supported, trained, and created together starting with writers &  manga artists. In recent years, with the evolution of technology and the development of the use of SNS, the hurdles for creating works have been lowered, & I think that it has become a world where anyone can easily create art, so like the game creators lab that started last year, new talents are being developed. I feel very happy to be able to support the release of creators to  the world.

• GEORGE LUCAS AWARD (GRAND PRIX）Announcement ・ Award

The final award, the Grand Prix – George Lucas Award from the Official Competitions, supported by Sony, the International Competition Best Short went to “Warsha” (Director Dania Bdeir). For the grand finale of the ceremony, the jurors, MIRROR LIAR FILMS, everyone from each project, & festival ambassador LiLiCo gathered on the stage. Bessho said, “I would like to once again thank the film makers of more than 5,000 submissions from 120 countries and regions. Starting today, we will move toward the 25th Anniversary!  I hope that next year, for the  the 25th anniversary, we will have a big party!

BEST ACTOR AWARD – SAIRI ITO (Japan Competition) from director Yudai Chiba’s “Sparklers”

Comment:　The character’s emotions were expressed in a very realistic manner, from delicate acting that gradually exudes the emotions hidden inside to powerful acting that explodes complex feelings in one word.

Message from SAIRI ITO：　I’m very happy from the bottom of my heart to receive this award for director Yudai Chiba’s film. The relationship between the two characters is wonderful, and so is director Chiba who wrote & directed. Thank you, this award is shared happiness. Thank you for giving birth to ”Sparklers.”

OUTLINE of SSFF & ASIA 2022 Award Ceremony

Date/Time：Monday, June 20, 2022    16:30　~ 19:30

VENUE：Meiji Jingu Kaian (Hall)（Yoyogi Kamizono 1 – 1, Shibuya, Tokyo）

GUESTS：

【Stage】  Main MC’s：Genta Aoki、Rie Mochizuki,　Tetsuya Bessho（SSFF & ASIA, Festival President）

【Stage】　Governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike（Cinematic Tokyo Competition）

【Stage/Online*】　Director Shinji Higuchi, Makiko Watanabe, Eiji Okuda, Kiki Sugino, Yoko Narahashi、Hyunri、

Pascal Faure*, Hassan Fazili*, director Yun Jero*, Sony Group Corporation, Creative Center, Brand Incubation Group, General Manager Hirotaka Kobori (Non-Fiction Competition ＆ Official Competition, supported by Sony

【Stage/Online*】 Eiji Okuda, Kiki Sugino, Hassan Fazili*, Sony Group Corporation, Hirotaka Kobori

                  (Smartphone Film Competition supported by Sony’s Xperia)

【Stage】 Hiroki Iijima, Keisei Kawahara, Marty Friedman, Hiroki Horanai (Cinematic Sports Project 『Samurai Swordfish』）

【Stage】　Sara Ogawa, Hoppy Beverage Co,　President & CEO Mina Ishiwatari (Hoppy Happy Award）　　

【Stage】　Juri Manase, director Masaya Kakehi, (Animation Competition）　　　　　

【Stage】　Misaki Hattori, Ririka Kawashima, Koh Ikeda, director Kazuhiro Taira（Japan Expo Project – “Mom’s Celestial Robe of Feathers”)    

【Stage】　Director Naomi Kawase (Tokyo 2020 Olympics）

【Stage】　Takayuki Yamada, Asami Mizukawa, director GAZEBO、Chikara Ito, Producer (MIRRORLIAR FILMS）

【Stage】　Coin Post CEO Takahito Kagami, director Taichi, Tetsuya Bessho (New Project 『The Rhetoric Star』

【Stage】　Kodansha President and CEO, Yoshinobu Noma (Kodansha Cinema Creators Labo supported by ShortShorts)

SHORT SHORT FILM FESTIVAL　＆　ASIA　2022 – AWARD WINNING FILMS　

【SHORT SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL & ASIA  2022　】

■FESTIVAL PRESIDENT：TETSUYA BESSHO

■FESRIVAL PERIOD：JUNE 7, TUES ～ JUNE 20, MON

　　　　　　　　　ONLINE SCREENINGS APRIL 28, THURS ～ JUNE 30 THURS　　　　　

■FEE：ADMISSION FREE　※WITH EXCEPTIONS (SPECIAL EVENTS)

■OFFICIAL WEBSITE：　 https://shortshorts.org/2022/en/

■ORGANIZER：COMMITTEE FOR SHORT SHORTS / 

 COMMITTEE FOR SHORT SHORTS ASIA