We asked Official Competition-winning directors about what happens when you participate in a film festival!
Film festivals are not only about having your films screened – they are also about having the chance to participate, an opportunity to meet other creators and exchange ideas and opinions.
The people you meet and ideas you encounter could inspire your next film. It could even be the place where you meet a life-long colleague.Hear from some of the directors who participated in this year’s Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia about their experiences.
Grand prix
ASIA INTERNATIONAL Competition Governor of Tokyo Award
I met many fascinating people with whom I had the pleasure of mingling. With some people I thought there could be a possibility of working together one day. But I think that SSFF & ASIA needs to set up a kind of “base,” a spot at the festival where professionals and filmmakers can meet and exchange throughout the festival, like the one in Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and other film festivals – the “spot” becomes the location of genuine professional gatherings and even market exchanges. Such a move would allow SSFF & ASIA to grow, gain prestige and become an incubator of future projects.
INTERNATIONAL Competition Best Short Award Winner： Lotfi Achour
In the closing ceremony I had some interest to work with Japanese producers and also they had some interest too but we had a little time and we didn’t have the chance for a meeting.
JAPAN Competition Best Short Award
Governor of Tokyo Award Winner： Tsukasa Kishimoto
The best thing about participating in this festival was discovering the common experience that people can get close each other through film. This is something I had not really realized while shooting films out in the countryside. I could not watch all the short films screening at the festival, but I felt as if I had experienced the “world” after watching the international selections. There were various themes, some of them momentary and others more universal, but I can say for sure that the festival shared the international creators’ passion with audiences. We had opportunities to meet with other creators and discuss our films, and I talked with one actor about the possibility of making a new film together. One of the jury members also promised to read my next script and to offer advice. I’m not sure this will all become reality, but it’s definitely not impossible. SSFF & ASIA is where people with a deep love and passion for films gather, and I am grateful that I could be there.
Information on submitting your film!
Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA), the first Academy Awards® accredited film festival in Japan and one of Asia’s largest international short film festivals, began accepting submissions for its 2016 edition on August 1, 2015 (Sat).
Please access the Call for Entries page via the official festival website (www.shortshorts.org/) for further details on the submission process.
