Film festivals are a great way to showcase your work, promote yourself as a visionary in the world of cinema, and meet wonderful creators from across the world that can help you on your creative journey. We encourage filmmakers to submit and attend as many festivals as possible, and Shorts Short Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA) is one of those festivals that we highly recommend filmmakers like you submit to.
SSFF & ASIA is a world-renowned film festival for short films across the globe. What makes this festival extra special is that it's an Academy Award®-accredited-accredited festival, which means that each winner of the Best Short Award in the three Live Action Competitions, as well as the Non-Fiction and Animation Competition, are eligible for
While they have several categories that filmmakers can (and should) submit to, SSFF & ASIA is ready to accept submissions for short films that highlight Tokyo. How you capture the city in the short is up to you. From the many attractions of Japan’s capital city to shops that highlight the essence of Tokyo in your local hometown, your story should depict the experiences of Japan's capital city in any way you see fit.
SSFF & ASIA also accepts touristic videos shot on smartphones, very similar to 2023's winning project, music videos inspired by the image of Tokyo, and animations that capture the imagination and inspiration of Tokyo.
The winner of the Cinematic Tokyo Competition will receive 1 million Japanese yen (about $6,908).
Learn more about how to submit below!
Credit: SSFF & ASIA
Get Inspired by This Cinematic Tokyo Competition Winner
As part of their ongoing collaboration, SSFF & ASIA and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government joined forces to highlight the diverse elements of Tokyo. Out of the 273 entries from around the globe, Director Raymond Doan, an American expatriate who relocated to Japan in 2014, received the prestigious accolade for his film Pieces of You in the 2023 festival.
Your Tokyo-Themed Short Film Could Win 1 Million Yen at the Cinematic Tokyo Competition
Shot by cinematographer Flávio Gusmão, Doan's short film follows a young woman who explores Tokyo with a guy who can only see the city through the woman's smartphone Short films are a unique medium that allows us to explore exciting ideas while finding or honing in our unique voices. SSFF & ASIA understands this better than any other festival and is on a continuing journey to celebrate short films and uplift filmmakers of all backgrounds.
If you are looking for inspiration for your short, listen to the directors’ comments on the inspiration and process behind their winning short films.
How to Enter Your Short
Anyone from anywhere can submit their short films to SSFF & ASIA. There are a few guidelines you will have to follow when submitting your short film. Let’s break those down:
- Open to all countries
- All genres are welcome
- Run time is 25 minutes or under
- Running time must be included in the end credits
- No specified production year
- MOV or MP4 file
- 1920 x 1080 frame rate
- Under 10 GB preferred
- English subtitles are required for submission in any language other than English or Japanese
You can submit online either on the official festival website, Shortfilmdepot, or FilmFreeway.
If you are shooting in Tokyo for this competition, feel free to contact the Tokyo Location Box here. You can also use materials available on the Tokyo Stock Footage website to use in your short film (except for Zojoji Temple, Sensoji Temple, and Roppongi Hills).
The selection results will be announced by the end of April 2024 on the official festival website. Filmmakers will be notified if their film will be screened at the National and International Tour of the Festival, which will take place after SSFF & ASIA 2023 in Tokyo ends.
Submissions are now open and will close on January 31, 2024.
Please complete the online submission either on the official festival website, Shortfilmdepot, or FilmFreeway.
There is no submission fee, so what are you waiting for? Get your finished shorts in now!
