Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on May 2012
films for free
As part of Metropolis’ partnership with Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia, we are giving away six pairs of tickets for programs at the festival (excluding Roppongi all-night screenings and sold-out programs). To win a pair of tickets, email giveaways@metropolis.co.jp with your answer to this question:
If Metropolis magazine were a short film, what would be the title and tagline?
Best answers will be chosen at noon, June 6. Please include your name, address, and phone number, and put SS12 in the subject line.
For the second year Metropolis is the English media supporter of Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia, a great event for cinema fans who love the short format (or just happen to have deficient attention spans). Nearly 200 works clocking in under the 25 minute mark will screen from June 15-30 at locations in Tokyo and Yokohama.
Among the must-see lineups is the Academy Program, which brings together high-quality shorts that were nominated in the various short film categories at this year’s 84th Academy Awards. Heading up the program is The Shore (pictured) by Hotel Rwanda director Terry George, which took home the Short Live Action Oscar. Starring Ciarán Hinds, it tells the story of two friends who are reunited 25 years after “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland pulled them apart.
In the International Program, be sure to catch the bitter-sweet love story presented in the Australian short Summer Breaks, featuring currently in-demand actress Mia Wasikowska just before she came to international attention by scoring the title role in Alice in Wonderland.
In the Asian International Program, one of several highlights is The Great Rabbit, a work by Japanese animator Atsushi Wada which picked up a Silver Bear award at this year’s Berlin Film Festival.
The CG Program showcases digitally created shorts, the Music Program explores the intersection of film and music video, and the Football Program presented by J. League soccer takes to the playing field. This year’s fest will also include a special selection of shorts from Arab countries in collaboration with the Doha Film Institute, as well as a collection of French shorts.
Free admittance will be offered for several programs, including the “Let’s Travel!” Project, featuring works shot at various locales around Japan and the “Stop! Global Warming” Competition, among others.
In the lead-up to the official start of the fest on June 15, organizers have declared June 4 “Short Film Day” and will be handing out free tickets programs at the Brilla Short Shorts Theater in Yokohama.
It will be a long night for short films as the festival kicks off with all-night screenings at Toho Cinemas Roppongi Hills on June 15-16. Further screenings will be held between June 15-30 at Laforet Museum Harajuku, Omotesando Hills Space O, and Brilla Short Shorts Theater. Kevin Mcgue
Watch out for our festival feature next issue, and see
http://metropolis.co.jp/ss12 for more info.
