Click to enlarge. Santiago Caicedo’s UYUYUI! in the 3D program. (C) Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia
The festival has come a long way from its inception in 1999, when just 30 shorts were screened. It is now one of the most acclaimed shorts festivals in Asia. This year, 68 shorts from 23 countries were selected from more than 4,200 submissions. The program ranges from shorts starring Oscar-winning actors to low-budget efforts shot on digital SLR cameras.
This year for the first time, Metropolis is the English media supporter of SSFF. Here are a few things to look out for in the upcoming festival.
The Celebrity Shorts & Maestro Shorts program features eight works from high-profile filmmakers, starring Oscar winner Colin Firth and nominees Jesse Eisenberg and Keira Knightly among others. Speaking of the Oscars, the Academy Program will feature the five works nominated the 83rd Academy Awards in the category Short Film (Live Action), including the winner God of Love.
The EOS MOVIE Program program gives a glimpse of digital cinema with three shorts by young Japanese directors shot on the Canon 5D Mark II and the Canon 7D, digital still cameras that upcoming filmmakers are repurposing into low-budget but high-quality movie cameras.
This year’s fest is the first to include a CG Animation Program, including Oscar-winning short The Lost Thing. While short-form 3D technology can be sampled at Cinemart Shinjuku with the 3D Competition, featuring international works and a seminar by director Takashi Yamazaki.
Focus on Italy, included to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy, features shorts by late director Michelangelo Antonioni and Gabrielle Mucchino, while sports fans will want to catch the Football Program, marking the 20th anniversary of J-League, to include Eight, by Billy Elliott director Stephen Daldry.
Look beyond Tokyo with the Short Story Nagoya (no English subtitles), highlighting shorts set in the Japan’s third largest city. Or look beyond Japan altogether with the Let’s Travel Project—showing that Japanese filmmakers love their neighbors—with Japanese-Korean coproductions and Korean-made shorts as well as Japanese shorts about travel.
Finally, the best from around the world will be onscreen in the International Competition, featuring the best 35 works from over 3,000 submissions from around the country.
Ever found yourself wondering when (or if) the latest overseas blockbuster will hit theaters here in Japan? Well, we’ve got the answers. Here is our list of upcoming theater releases, continuously updated as we get new information. Postponed (due to the Mar 11 earthquake) Yogi Bear (dub only) Sanctum Countdown to Zero Exit Through the [...]