Tetsuya Bessho, an actor and radio host, considers the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia one of his life's work.
Now in its 17th year, this year's theme is "Cinematic Moment." Films capture a moment in the lives of filmmakers. Watching a film is like sharing that moment, which is why it moves us emotionally. Short films, which are much shorter than feature-length films, condense the moment even further. "It's like a sparkling diamond in the rough, packed with flavor like espresso coffee," Bessho says. He discusses what first drew him to short films, and what they have taught him about life and fashion.
The Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia is now in its 17th year. What prompted him to become the organizer?
After making his screen debut in the American film "Crisis 2050" at the age of 23, he began traveling back and forth between the United States and Japan. When I was in the US, I was often invited to come to short film screenings. However, at the time, I had a preconceived notion that short films were experimental, short, and like student films, so I always declined.

Then, about 10 years later, a friend living in the US made a short film as a filmmaker and asked me to come and see a screening at a major Hollywood studio. Reluctantly, I went to see it as a friend. Ten short films were screened, and they were all incredibly interesting. It was like a Copernican revolution; my concept of film changed as much as the heliocentric system did. I was amazed to learn that films don't have to be long, that so much can be expressed in a short film, and that famous actors like Tom Cruise all started their careers with short films. That was my first encounter with short films. It happened in 1997.

--Two years later, in 1999, you became the organizer of the American Short Shorts Film Festival, an international short film festival originating in Japan.

A series of coincidences followed. My friend had submitted a feature film to the Sundance Film Festival, so I went there and witnessed the wonder of short films. There were people like Ben Affleck, who was still unknown at the time, Christina Ricci, who was somewhat famous, and Spike Lee, who was active on the front lines, all talking about short films as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Then, at the 1998 Academy Awards, Chris Tashima's "Visas and Virtue," a short film that has been called "Japan's Schindler's List," won the award. That year, I was hosting the Academy Awards broadcast live... These three encounters combined to make me feel like it was fate that I wanted to hold a short film festival in Japan! (laughs)

--So you were moved. This film festival has become well established, and this year it will screen 200 films selected from 5,000 works from 100 countries and regions. How should you choose a film to watch?

Short films are limited to 25 minutes in length, but some are as short as 2 or 3 minutes. The 200 films will be screened in various programs, so you can choose one that interests you. I especially want you to see the Official Competition. I hope that you will discover unknown but future gems that could lead to an Academy Award. Also, since opportunities to see films from countries around the world, such as Poland, Brazil, Sweden, and the Philippines, are rare, I hope that you will embark on a film-based journey to discover the kinds of films being made in these countries. There are many programs to choose from, including a program showcasing the latest Academy Award-winning and nominated films, and a program that combines fashion and short films. I hope that you will enjoy choosing a film just as you would choose a menu at a restaurant.

--I'm also looking forward to the new "Fashion Shorts Program" this year. I also think that choosing the best pieces from a wide range of options is similar to choosing clothes. Is there anything you value or are particular about when choosing clothes?

Today's theme was "smart casual," so I coordinated my outfit with blue as an accent color. Formal settings like film festivals tend to tend to be dark and basic, so I add variety with ties, handkerchiefs, and cufflinks, and I also pay attention to my footwear and shoes. Choosing clothes is fun. It was movies that made me realize this. When I appeared in a Hollywood movie, someone told me that when you imagine what kind of person someone is, the clothes and fashion they're wearing at the time give a sense of their personality. Since then, I've started to pay more attention to that. Choosing clothes is also a time to reflect on your own values. I think it's very important to know what you're attracted to, whether it's the design, the feel, or the comfort.

Some of the clothes I choose because I'm attracted to them have been worn for years. I still wear the Schott rider's leather jacket I bought when I was 20. It's been 30 years now (laughs). It's fun to incorporate the latest trends, but it's also nice to enjoy the changes that occur over time as you mend it, and to inscribe memories into your clothes.

--I agree. Just as memories are inscribed on clothes, so too are the "moments" of a movie you saw in the cinema, such as who you were with and in what circumstances.

That's right. We now live in an age where you can watch movies online, which is fine, and I hope people will continue to watch short films that way. However, film festivals offer a different kind of excitement. Films are like magic, projecting objects made with light paint onto a large screen in the dark. They're like the filmmaker's thoughts at that moment are vacuum-packed. In the past, it was film, but now it's data, so it's on hard drives, and when light shines on them, the story begins to move. It's a truly romantic experience. I want people to experience that kind of magical magic at film festivals.

──Finally, where does your energy come from, as the organizer of a film festival, an actor, and a radio host?

I believe that humans are always "on" throughout their lives and have no sense of "off." That is, while time spent traveling or spending time with family is certainly "off" in terms of work, it is "on" in terms of private time. And being "on" all the time stirs up all kinds of emotions, such as crying, laughing, and being surprised. It's truly wonderful. Perhaps experiencing this every day is what gives us energy.