The Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA), Asia's largest international short film festival and accredited by the Academy Awards, has designated June 4th, the day the festival first began in 1999, as "Short Film Day" since 2018.
This year marks the 23rd anniversary of the festival, and even through the unprecedented pandemic, the festival has gathered over 6,000 works by filmmakers from around the world. Having continued to explore various ways to deepen communication, even while living apart, SSFF & ASIA has once again felt the power of film. We are pleased to announce the launch of the Global Spotlight Award, which supports short films that open up new worlds and connect with the world, and the five inaugural nominees.
Nominated Films
"The Human Voice," directed by Pedro Almodóvar and starring Tilda Swinton (Spain)
"NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY," produced by Billie Eilish (USA)
"Two Distant Strangers," directed and written by Travon Free (USA)
"THE HAT," starring Jude Law and Rafferty Law (UK)
"One-Tenth of a Millimeter Apart," directed by Wong Kar-wai (Hong Kong)
The five nominees were selected from a variety of works, including online platforms, presented by people active in various fields around the world, including the music, film, and video industries.
About the Global Spotlight Award
This festival began in 1999 as a way to showcase short films, which were still relatively unfamiliar in Japan. This year marks its 23rd year, continuing to evolve with the times. Not only have audiences' options for experiencing film and video expanded, but anyone can now share their creativity, sensibility, and concerns with the world through any device.
We established this award to once again highlight the immeasurable potential of short films and support the path that short films open up to connect the world. The winner will be announced at the opening ceremony on the first day of the festival.
＜Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2021 Opening Ceremony＞
Friday, June 11, 2021, 16:30 - 19:00 Venue: LINE CUBE SHIBUYA (Shibuya Public Hall)
*This event will be streamed live to the world.
https://shortshorts.org/2021/ja/openingceremony/
The Human Voice (Spain), directed by Pedro Almodóvar and starring Tilda Swinton
Photo: The New York Times/Afro
Photo: ZUMA Press/Afro
This is Almodóvar's first English-language film. Shot during lockdown, it premiered at the Venice Film Festival and received rave reviews from critics around the world. It is based on Jean Cocteau's play The Human Voice and stars veteran Academy Award-winning actress Tilda Swinton.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3lGM39dKuY
"NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY" (USA) produced by Billie Eilish
Photo: REX/Afro
Produced for her world tour, which began in March last year, the film contains a message of protest against online body criticism and bullying. With the tour suspended due to the effects of COVID-19 and no prospect of resuming, Billie released the short film in its entirety on social media, causing a huge stir.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlvfYmfefSI
Directed and written by Travon Free
"Two Distant Strangers" (USA)
A work created based on the theme of "Black Lives Matter." NBA players Kevin Durant and Mike Conley are executive producers, and the film stars popular rapper Joey Bada$$. It won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film in 2021 at the 93rd Academy Awards.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-67K-KwHbA
The Hat (UK) Directed by Darren Stroger Starring Jude Law and Rafferty Law
Photo: ZUMA Press/Afro
Filmed entirely on a smartphone in the UK during lockdown last year, this is the first collaboration between Jude Law and his son. It features original music by The Who guitarist Peter Townsend. Proceeds from the premiere were donated to the Teenage Cancer Foundation and Teen Cancer America.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbFUA4Z3ouM
One-Tenth of a Millimeter Apart (Hong Kong), directed by Wong Kar-wai
A documentary short film made to commemorate the 30th anniversary of his own film company (Jet Tone Films). The film depicts the behind-the-scenes production of the director's previous films, including "In the Mood for Love" and "2046," and premiered at the Hong Kong International Film Festival in April this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYRFLKqqcyo
【Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2021 Overview】
■Festival Director: Tetsuya Bessho
■Dates: Friday, June 11th – Monday, June 21st
*Online venue will be from Tuesday, April 27th – Wednesday, June 30th
■Screening Venues: Online venues and multiple venues in Tokyo
*The screening period will vary depending on the venue
■Price: Free screenings, some paid events available
： 2020年5月21日（水）より新発売しました。 English: ■Inquiries for the general public: 03-5474-8844
■Official website: https://www.shortshorts.org/
■Organizers: Short Shorts Executive Committee / Short Shorts Asia Executive Committee
*The timing or content may change depending on the spread of COVID-19.
【Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia】
Actor Tetsuya Bessho, who is also a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), founded the American Short Shorts Film Festival in 1999 out of a desire to introduce short films, which he had encountered in the United States, to Japan as a new video genre. In 2001, the name was changed to "Short Shorts Film Festival (SSFF)", and in 2004 it was certified as an official film festival of the Academy Awards. That same year, the Short Shorts Film Festival Asia (co-hosted by SSFF ASIA, Tokyo) was established with the aim of promoting new Asian film culture and nurturing up-and-coming young filmmakers. Currently, the festivals are held under the collective name "SSFF & ASIA."
In 2018, to commemorate the festival's 20th anniversary, the Grand Prix winner was renamed the "George Lucas Award," named after director George Lucas. In January 2019, the Short Shorts Film Festival in Hollywood was held as a commemorative event. Starting with the 2019 festival, up to four films from the official competitions (International, Asia International, and Japan) and the non-fiction category were eligible for nomination for the following year's Academy Awards in the short film category. SSFF & ASIA will continue to support young creators through its film festivals.
[Official Website] https://www.shortshorts.org
Click here for company press release details
This year marks the 23rd anniversary of the festival, and even through the unprecedented pandemic, the festival has gathered over 6,000 works by filmmakers from around the world. Having continued to explore various ways to deepen communication, even while living apart, SSFF & ASIA has once again felt the power of film. We are pleased to announce the launch of the Global Spotlight Award, which supports short films that open up new worlds and connect with the world, and the five inaugural nominees.
Nominated Films
"The Human Voice," directed by Pedro Almodóvar and starring Tilda Swinton (Spain)
"NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY," produced by Billie Eilish (USA)
"Two Distant Strangers," directed and written by Travon Free (USA)
"THE HAT," starring Jude Law and Rafferty Law (UK)
"One-Tenth of a Millimeter Apart," directed by Wong Kar-wai (Hong Kong)
The five nominees were selected from a variety of works, including online platforms, presented by people active in various fields around the world, including the music, film, and video industries.
About the Global Spotlight Award
This festival began in 1999 as a way to showcase short films, which were still relatively unfamiliar in Japan. This year marks its 23rd year, continuing to evolve with the times. Not only have audiences' options for experiencing film and video expanded, but anyone can now share their creativity, sensibility, and concerns with the world through any device.
We established this award to once again highlight the immeasurable potential of short films and support the path that short films open up to connect the world. The winner will be announced at the opening ceremony on the first day of the festival.
＜Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2021 Opening Ceremony＞
Friday, June 11, 2021, 16:30 - 19:00 Venue: LINE CUBE SHIBUYA (Shibuya Public Hall)
*This event will be streamed live to the world.
https://shortshorts.org/2021/ja/openingceremony/
SSFF & ASIA 2021 GLOBAL SPOTLIGHT AWARD Nominee
The Human Voice (Spain), directed by Pedro Almodóvar and starring Tilda Swinton
Photo: The New York Times/AfroPhoto: ZUMA Press/AfroThis is Almodóvar's first English-language film. Shot during lockdown, it premiered at the Venice Film Festival and received rave reviews from critics around the world. It is based on Jean Cocteau's play The Human Voice and stars veteran Academy Award-winning actress Tilda Swinton.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3lGM39dKuY
"NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY" (USA) produced by Billie Eilish
Photo: REX/AfroProduced for her world tour, which began in March last year, the film contains a message of protest against online body criticism and bullying. With the tour suspended due to the effects of COVID-19 and no prospect of resuming, Billie released the short film in its entirety on social media, causing a huge stir.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlvfYmfefSI
Directed and written by Travon Free
"Two Distant Strangers" (USA)
A work created based on the theme of "Black Lives Matter." NBA players Kevin Durant and Mike Conley are executive producers, and the film stars popular rapper Joey Bada$$. It won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film in 2021 at the 93rd Academy Awards.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-67K-KwHbA
The Hat (UK) Directed by Darren Stroger Starring Jude Law and Rafferty Law
Photo: ZUMA Press/AfroFilmed entirely on a smartphone in the UK during lockdown last year, this is the first collaboration between Jude Law and his son. It features original music by The Who guitarist Peter Townsend. Proceeds from the premiere were donated to the Teenage Cancer Foundation and Teen Cancer America.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbFUA4Z3ouM
One-Tenth of a Millimeter Apart (Hong Kong), directed by Wong Kar-wai
A documentary short film made to commemorate the 30th anniversary of his own film company (Jet Tone Films). The film depicts the behind-the-scenes production of the director's previous films, including "In the Mood for Love" and "2046," and premiered at the Hong Kong International Film Festival in April this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYRFLKqqcyo
【Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2021 Overview】
■Festival Director: Tetsuya Bessho
■Dates: Friday, June 11th – Monday, June 21st
*Online venue will be from Tuesday, April 27th – Wednesday, June 30th
■Screening Venues: Online venues and multiple venues in Tokyo
*The screening period will vary depending on the venue
■Price: Free screenings, some paid events available
： 2020年5月21日（水）より新発売しました。 English: ■Inquiries for the general public: 03-5474-8844
■Official website: https://www.shortshorts.org/
■Organizers: Short Shorts Executive Committee / Short Shorts Asia Executive Committee
*The timing or content may change depending on the spread of COVID-19.
【Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia】
Actor Tetsuya Bessho, who is also a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), founded the American Short Shorts Film Festival in 1999 out of a desire to introduce short films, which he had encountered in the United States, to Japan as a new video genre. In 2001, the name was changed to "Short Shorts Film Festival (SSFF)", and in 2004 it was certified as an official film festival of the Academy Awards. That same year, the Short Shorts Film Festival Asia (co-hosted by SSFF ASIA, Tokyo) was established with the aim of promoting new Asian film culture and nurturing up-and-coming young filmmakers. Currently, the festivals are held under the collective name "SSFF & ASIA."
In 2018, to commemorate the festival's 20th anniversary, the Grand Prix winner was renamed the "George Lucas Award," named after director George Lucas. In January 2019, the Short Shorts Film Festival in Hollywood was held as a commemorative event. Starting with the 2019 festival, up to four films from the official competitions (International, Asia International, and Japan) and the non-fiction category were eligible for nomination for the following year's Academy Awards in the short film category. SSFF & ASIA will continue to support young creators through its film festivals.
[Official Website] https://www.shortshorts.org
Click here for company press release details
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