Held just a few months ahead of the annual Tokyo International Film Festival is the Short Shorts Film Festival and Asia event. Since its establishment in 1999, it has been a platform for budding filmmakers to showcase their talent in the realm of concise storytelling. This year's event features a stellar collection of roughly 270 recently released short films selected out of 5,215 submissions from 120 different countries around the world.
SSFF & Asia offers a rich variety of content, from live-action dramas to innovative animations, thrilling documentaries, and creative experimental films, all confined to a running time of 30 minutes or less. It includes both International and Asia International competitions, giving artists equal opportunity to compete and demonstrate their artistry. The festival also supports regional filmmakers through the Japan competition.
While most festivals are limited to in-person attendance, Short Shorts is hosting screenings online as well as at venues across Tokyo this year. The best part? Whether you're attending in person or watching from home, the event is completely free. You can access virtually all of these films on the event website.
The IRL screenings will run until June 25. Tickets are available for online booking if you want to watch the films at the venues.