Another chance to see the top award-winning works from SSFF & ASIA 2015!
The Grand Prix winner and films selected as the Best Short in each of the competition categories represent the pinnacle of the film festival. They are short films that stand apart from other works, and have received praise from the official competition jurors.
There will be another chance to see these top award-winning works as of October 13 in the “Jury Choice Short Film Program” at Cinema Museum – Special Fall Screenings -! Be sure to come along and enjoy these excellent works!
Grand Prix
ASIA INTERNATIONAL Competition Best Short
Governor of Tokyo Award
AwardWinner： Reza Fahimi
Cloudy Children
In the village, two students are fighting over the things that they could never have. In the end, they share everything which does not belong to them.
The most important thing is the theme of the film which is narrated two kids nicely. This theme had been hidden in the storyline by the writer.
The next thing is similarity and repeating which is developed in the story from beginning to end.
“Film Highlights”
The most important thing is the theme of the film which is narrated two kids nicely. This theme had been hidden in the storyline by the writer.
The next thing is similarity and repeating which is developed in the story from beginning to end.
Winner’s Comment
My children won’t play anymore, because there are not actor, they live their life. They are like blossoms which are new to everyone. Yes! “Cloudy Children” is the story of Hassan and Akbar, friendship, arguments, tears and smiles. Struggle over everything they don’t have and peace over nothing. Talking about the ownership which has been affected us is the pattern of our daily life. The film is the story of our past in every culture and in every region. “Cloudy Children” is based upon a story written by Mohammad Sharifi named “pomegranate garden” (Bagh-e-Anari). The story which was always interesting to me. But the concept of the story had encouraged me to make film of it. The idea which rules all over the story. A pain from a society which leads to a bitter laugh. A laugh which makes me to portrait bitterness. A story that everyone has been read it for over 30 years which needs a strong courage to be filmed. But in order to create you need to be daring. The best moment of my life was the time that I had been watching “Cloudy Children” in Tokyo before the lovely people of it and at the end had been favored by the jury member. An unforgettable moment… Thank you so much.
Reza Fahimi
INTERNATIONAL Competition Best Short Award
Winner： Lotfi Achour
Father
Hédi is a taxi driver in Tunis. One evening he drives a pregnant young woman to the hospital as she is going into labor. This brief encounter will bring about a series of random tragic and unexpected events, leading to a life-changing experience for both of them.
“Film Highlights”
For me, besides an attachment to aesthetic form – one of my major concerns – the most important point that the film raises, while remaining pure fiction and cinematographic object, is in relation to social issues and policies vital to my country and society.
If I have to choose an emotional and cinematographic climax of the film, it would be the scene between the father and daughter on the cliff, when he gets rid of stone in her shoe and he kisses her on the foot. For me this is the moment of biggest change, where the character makes his decision to remain the children’s father. I love this scene because the expression is subtle; we felt magic on the set with the little girl’s accurate and graceful presence in the company of the father character. This is a very simple and human moment, which for me is very representative of the film that I wanted to make.
Winner’s Comment
To be part of the Shorts Shorts and Asia 2015 was already a great pleasure, because it permitted to discover one of the most important Asiatic Short films Festivals and at the same time, a city that I’ve always dreamed to visit : Tokyo.
My film “Father” has been awarded by Best Short in International Competition Award and this is a great satisfaction for me for many reasons.
Firstly, because being awarded among so many films is always gratifying for a director, especially as a high quality selection of films from all corners of the world was presented. Secondly, recognition and distinction coming from a jury composed of high level artists deeply moved me. My exchanges with some of them after the ceremony confirmed me in feeling a great interest they had for my movie.
Finally beyond this prize, being part of this festival and being awarded had reinforced me in observing how much my film could have a universal size, and that it would be there the best prize I could receive. Because, in spite of a wide cultural difference between Tunisia and Japan, I noticed during screenings and talks that the movie could touch Japanese audience and send them back to their own personal thought and feelings, on what could childhood, fatherhood and paternity be beyond blood ties. And in this, I saw how much we where all same in spite of our differences.
Lotfi Achour
JAPAN Competition Best Short Award
Governor of Tokyo Award
Winner： Tsukasa Kishimoto
Kerama Blue
A couple travels abroad to a small inn on Zamami island, Okinawa. Even though they don’t share a language with the people of the island, the wife feels a closeness with the grandmother of the inn. The husband, however, rejects their hospitality and remains hostile until a dive in the sea opens his heart.
“Film Highlights”
From start to finish, the characters in this film are unable to understand each other’s language. They are, however, able to read each other’s emotions, and in this way are somehow able to move forward. Personal relationships are often complicated and troublesome; at times you try to understand everything and end up understanding absolutely nothing. But when you are able to see the limits of understanding others, you can discover something new. In this sense, a theme addressing the acceptance of others without relying on words was necessary, so I chose the concept of ‘beauty in nature.’ The Kerama islands provided the best location by which to show this mutual understanding based on a shared reverence for nature. Please enjoy the stunning scenary as well as the storyline.
Winner’s Comment
This film was inspired by the Kerama islands. I fell in love with these small islands off of the main island of Okinawa to the extent that during shooting I would sometimes neglect the story or consistency of the scenes and find myself focusing on capturing the beauty of the islands. The Kerama islands are such attractive places for shooting films.
I would like to thank to all the cast and crew who I worked together with. Making this film with people who believe in the ‘power of movies’ and ‘magic of films’ was a wonderful experience for me.