Cinematic Tokyo Competition was established in 2017. This competition category takes submissions from all over the world for short films showcasing the various charms of Tokyo. Productions do not have to be filmed in Tokyo, but must include themes that make one think of Tokyo, be centered on memories of Tokyo or imagine the essence of Tokyo.
12 nominated films selected from the 308 submissions from 53 countries and regions around the world.
Cinematic Tokyo Competition Best Short Award 2022 / Governor of Tokyo Award
Tokyo Rain
Michel Wild & Robert Schneider / 0:12:07 / Switzerland / Fantasy / 2021
Heavy rain has been hitting the facades of Tokyo. Masahiro is alone in his office. He calls his wife, who doesn’t seem to be excited about her husband’s overtime. He falls asleep on the computer during his monotonous paperwork. He has a nightmare. When he wakes up, nothing seems the way it used to be.
Announcement of the award
Comment
Winning this award is just incredible! When we started preparing the production of Tokyo Rain, we kept imagining that the film would be shown in Japan. But we hardly dared to dream that we would win this award right away. Thank you very much, we are very happy about it.
Award Ceremony
Anything you would like to share about your film?
We set out to produce films set in Japan. Most of them filmed in Switzerland from our own point of view. Our first film "Hunger" was shot in Zurich in a child's room. "Tokyo Rain" was shot in offices and on a roof at the lake of Zurich. Our next film "Shōgai", which concludes the trilogy, will also be shot in Switzerland.
Governor of Tokyo Award trophy
Any filmmakers or films that have inspired your work?
For Tokyo Rain it was of course the classic Japanese disaster movies. But there are so many creative filmmakers around the world who inspire us. It is important for us to find our own film language to realize our visions.
Director: Michel Wild & Robert Schneider
Michel Wild is an illustrator, comic-strip artist, musician and filmmaker. He loves to tell his stories with various stylistic instruments. He has already produced short films, animated films, music videos and industrial films. For Tokyo Rain, Michel Wild is responsible for the script, art direction, music, set design, direction and editing.
Robert Schneider is obsessed with filmmaking and photography. He has also been working as a frontend developer for over a decade and is a frequent traveller to Japan. For Tokyo Rain, the second shortfilm which Robert collaborated with Michel, he acts as co-producer, cameraman, colorist, lighting technician and technical manager.
Nominated films in Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2022
-
Pay Phone 702
Kevin D'Angelo / 0:04:20 / Japan & United States / Drama / 2021
A young woman's favorite pay phone goes missing.
-
Tokyo Hyperlapse 2021
Hideo Ishikawa / 0:02:35 / Japan / Video art / 2021
The film takes viewers on a time-lapse and hyper-lapse tour throughout post-Olympics Tokyo after the state of emergency was rescinded. Approximately 8,000 photographs were converted into images to create a dynamic view of Tokyo.
-
Tokyo Rain
Michel Wild & Robert Schneider / 0:12:07 / Switzerland / Fantasy / 2021
Heavy rain has been hitting the facades of Tokyo. Masahiro is alone in his office. He calls his wife, who doesn’t seem to be excited about her husband’s overtime. He falls asleep on the computer during his monotonous paperwork. He has a nightmare. When he wakes up, nothing seems the way it used to be.
-
On the way（Hiroki Sato – PROMOTION MOVIE)
Yutaka Tsunemachi / 0:06:40 / Japan / Drama / 2021
He came to Tokyo to become an actor but found himself struggling in the city. His life becomes intermingled with a writer who had written a novel that closely resembles his own life. What did he discover about his lifestyle that made him reconsider his life?
-
silence in TOKYO
Katsuhiko Mori / 0:22:24 / Japan / Documentary / 2021
In 2020, COVID-19 suddenly strikes the world. A state of emergency is declared and people disappear from the streets. The director, Katsuhiko Mori filmed the streets every night in a deserted Tokyo, documenting a landscape and an era that may never be seen again. Set to the universal sound of classical music.
-
Alien in Tokyo
Yoko Higuchi / 0:10:17 / Japan / Sci-Fi / 2021
An alien disguised as a human walks through the streets of Tokyo as he tries to navigates our world and understand the human condition.