Kurzfilme der Japan Horror Film Competition

In the organizer's words:

The Japan Horror Film Competition was launched in 2021 with the aim of discovering and promoting new talent in the Japanese horror genre. The open-submission competition with a focus on the horror film genre was the first of its kind in Japan, and over 100 entries were submitted for the first edition. The winner of the main prize was given the opportunity to make a new feature-length film in a commercial setting. The chairman of the jury was SHIMIZU Takashi, one of the pioneers of Japanese horror films, known for the "Ju-On" series.

The Japanese Cultural Institute will be showing 4 short films from the competition on this evening.

BEST WISHES TO ALL
みなに幸あれ Mina ni sachi are

Director: SHIMOTSU Yuta
2023, 11 min, OVD, VoD

After a long time, a student visits her grandparents in the countryside and receives a warm welcome. But when a noise is heard from the second floor, the grandmother's movements freeze. Is someone there? It's dark up there and nobody actually lives there.
The winner of the "1st Japan Horror Film Competition" vividly shows the cruel reality that the happiness of one person is based on the sacrifice of another. Director Shimotsu Yûta later created this work as a feature-length film and won the Award for Best Asian Film at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in South Korea in 2023. The film was released in January 2024.

closet

Director: NAKANO Hiroto
2023, 8 min, OmdU, VoD

A young man lives alone in an apartment. Suddenly, strange things happen to his closet.
Director Nakano Hiroto, who was still a student himself at the time of production, wanted to make a new kind of horror film that shows the horrors hidden in everyday life with a sense of familiarity and humor. Here he was both cameraman, actor and editor. Winner of the New Hope Award at the 1st Japan Horror Film Competition, it was hoped that he would pave the way for a new genre.

KARAKASA
傘カラカサ Kasa karakasa

Director: YAMAMOTO Kenji
2023, 29 min, OVD, VoD

Ayaka lives in a shared house. As she waits for her boyfriend, it suddenly starts to rain and she accidentally gets her hands on an umbrella that had been thrown away. But from then on, Ayaka disappears. In fact, there is a terrible story surrounding this umbrella.
The film is inspired by the motif of the "karakasa", an eerie apparition in the shape of an umbrella that has been handed down in Japan since time immemorial. It was awarded the Occult Award, which is selected by a YouTube channel specializing in the occult.

The Invitation
招待 Shôtai

Director: MIENO Hiroho
2023, 13 min, OVD, VoD

Two policemen, a young woman and a middle-aged man, drive to a house after the neighbors report a stench coming from it. When they enter the house, a world beyond their imagination awaits them.
Director Mieno Hiroho was honored for this work at the "2nd Japan Horror Film Competition" and is considered a promising filmmaker.

Japanese Film Festival Online 2024

The JFF Online is back in Germany!

The Japan Foundation is once again presenting a colorful mix of Japanese films this year. Feature films will be screened from June 5 to June 19, while TV dramas can be streamed from June 19 to July 3 (from five o'clock in the morning on the first day until five o'clock in the morning on the last day).

The festival will focus on productions made between 2020 and 2023, providing an insight into the diversity of the Japanese film landscape. The program includes 15 feature-length films, four short films and two TV dramas, all of which can be viewed free of charge (OmdU).

The spectrum ranges from dramas, documentaries, horror films and historical dramas(Jidaigeki) to anime and classics.

The way to enjoy the films is simple: after registering for free, click on the desired film and go on a journey of discovery.

Information about the festival and the lineup can be found on the official JFF Online website.

On 08.06. & 10.06. & 13.06. & 15.06. three films from the Online Festival program will be shown in the event hall of the Japanese Cultural Institute Cologne.

Price information:

Admission free