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.
6 nominated films selected from the 188 submissions from 39 countries and regions around the world.
Cinematic Tokyo Competition Best Short Award 2024 / Governor of Tokyo Award
Tokyo I Love Yous
Kaita Tawara / 0:21:42 / Japan / Drama / 2022
A dialogue between Akira and Mizuki who live in Tokyo. They make a promise under fireworks and shooting stars. They make a secret wish upon the remaining shine. In the not-too-distant future, even when those lights would become just the memory… Whenever they look up at the stars, they recall the promise they couldn't have fulfilled.
Announcement of the award
Comment
SSFF & ASIA 2024 Award Ceremony
Anything you would like to share about your film?
The key theme of "Tokyo I Love Yous" is "light".
Light travels at a speed of 300,000 kilometers per second.
The stars that the characters wish upon are so far away that it takes years for their light to reach us.
One of the key themes of this film is the overlapping time between the light of the stars and the lives of two people in the future.
I hope you notice the "light" in the stage lighting , the streetlights on the highway, and the aerial shots of Tokyo, that all represent the stars.
I think the real appeal of short films is that even strong artistic expressions are accepted.
I think it is a fresh attempt to express the teenage scene on the stage as a mental landscape.
"Light" connects the past, present, and future of the two actors.
Governor of Tokyo Award trophy
Any filmmakers or films that have inspired your work?
One of my major influences is the director Hirokazu Koreeda.
Ever since I skipped school to see "Maborosi" at the theater, I have seen every film he has made.
I have always felt that his films are honest in the way that he looks at things that might otherwise be overlooked and touches on the richness and subtleties of everyday life.
I have worked in the production of documentaries and other TV programs, and I feel a sense of empathy with the fact that my background is very close to his.
Director: Kaita Tawara
He has a 15-year career as a cinematographer. This is the second short film he directed. Now he is preparing to shoot a feature film.
Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2024
Nominated films in Cinematic Tokyo Competition
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TOROROSOBA TO WATASHI
Kenji Ezure / 0:21:12 / Japan / Drama / 2022
It's the third summer for Mei Ling as an international student. Her boyfriend Naoto takes her out for a picnic date to Mt. Takao, a nature landmark in Tokyo. After climbing, they get to a famous soba noodle shop. It seems the female owner knows my name… You can also enjoy the scenery of Taiwan that was shot remotely.
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Satomi
Rayner Wang / 0:11:38 / Japan, United States / Fantasy / 2023
Mayumi could be the perfect performer. The only problem: she suffers from stage fright. After her audition at a talent show goes awry, she has an inadvertent encounter with her idol, who so happens to be a living anime. An enchanting story about an unassuming girl set during the tail end of the 20th century.
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Family Affair
Toshiyuki Nagaoka / 0:23:36 / Japan / Drama / 2023
The Iwata family is on a trip for a relative's wedding. The father, mother, and two daughters feel that this is their last family trip together. The women wander the streets of Hachioji City, Tokyo, on a whim, and the father is left alone. What will happen on this family trip?
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Tonari
Ben Tarquin / 0:16:30 / Japan / Experimental / 2023
When her mirrored reflection comes to life, a dancer caught between Tokyo and San Francisco must embark on an epic chase to find herself. TONARI is a cross-cultural, cross-generational story that explores race and mixed identity through narrative, dance, and jazz music.
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cross
Kosuke Inai / 0:01:30 / Japan / Video Art / 2019
The film expresses how two people of different ages and backgrounds, who would not cross paths in a normal life, cross through "things".
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Tokyo I Love Yous
Kaita Tawara / 0:21:42 / Japan / Drama / 2022
A dialogue between Akira and Mizuki who live in Tokyo. They make a promise under fireworks and shooting stars. They make a secret wish upon the remaining shine. In the not-too-distant future, even when those lights would become just the memory… Whenever they look up at the stars, they recall the promise they couldn't have fulfilled.
I am very happy to receive the Excellence Award.
First of all, let me take this opportunity to once again thank the actors, Hakuba Ito and Mizuki Sakurako, and all the of the other cast and crew.
Thank you all very much!
This award is a turning point for me as I continue to make films.
My next film will also be about Tokyo.
I will work hard every day to surpass what I have accomplished with this film.