We are in the era of smartphone cinematography, and the expertise of these jurors will help define the new visual expression unique to smartphones.
Not only do we love supporting filmmakers around the world, but we also love filmmakers who push the accessibility of fantasy cinema with the everyday item we can’t live without: smartphones.
This year at SSFF & ASIA, the festival is spotlighting short films that focus on the theme of the festival, “Meta Cinema: Transcend, Discover, Begin”. The Smartphone film competitionpresented by Sony Xperia, celebrates the era of smartphone cinematography and unique new visual expression in these smartphone short films.
The festival is an Oscar-accredited festival, which means the winner of the best short films in the competition, including the Smartphone competition, is eligible for nomination in the Oscar short film categories next year.
The jurors of the smartphone film competition
The talented jury for the Smartphone Film Competition, supported by The Sony Xperiawill include directors Eiji Okuda, Kiki Suginoand Hassan Fazili. These directors, actors, and producers have all done groundbreaking work in film and are eager to find the best short film in the Smartphone category.
Highly acclaimed actor and director Eiji Okuda has had a prolific career, with his directorial debut, Shoujyo: a teenager to be invited by the Venice Film Festival and many other film festivals to win the Grand Prix of the 17th Paris Film Festival and the 16th AFI Film Festival.
Alongside Eiji Okuda, actor, director and producer Kiki Sugino will be part of the jury. She has produced, directed and acted in many films such as Hospitality, history of Chigasaki, and Yokudo, which recently won awards at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival and the Hong Kong Asian Film Festival. She continues to work across genres as an actress, director and producer, teaming up with filmmakers around the world.
The final member of the jury is director Hassan Fazili. Fazili is an award-winning artist who has developed plays, documentaries, short films and several popular television series. His latest documentary, midnight travelerpremiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, winning a Special Jury Prize and screened at over 100 festivals including the Berlinale, Sheffield, HotDocs, IDFA, Emmy and Yamagata.
We want to highlight the films of smartphone movie Category. Check out the schedule below! You can also visit the site for more information, and see our coverage other exciting categories at SSFF & ASIA.
‘1959’Credit: Courtesy of SSFF & ASIA
1959
After the murder of Bernardo Aranda, which occurred on September 1, 1959, in Asunción, Paraguay, two lovers are involved in a relentless persecution during which 108 men are captured and tortured, under the pretext of linking them to the crime. 61 years later, memory still returns to the heart that never forgets.
Daniel Gómez / 0:07:00 / Paraguay / Drama / 2020
A city without sky
About the life of a young man living in a conflict zone during the war. His feelings about his city and his home. He doesn’t know what will happen to him tomorrow or in a few hours. It’s the fear that the war gives him
Zain Issa / 0:05:38 / Syria / Documentary / 2021
After the meeting
It’s April 2020, deep into the COVID Shelter-In-Place order. Kids are trapped at home and parents are stuck in small virtual meeting boxes all day. Aaron Barry had a fun and thought-provoking idea for a short film.
Aaron Barry / 0:03:16 / USA / Experimental / 2020
bus girl
An aspiring young female chef navigates the unforgiving world of high-end cuisine.
Jessica Henwick / 0:11:25 / UK / Drama / 2021
“Bus Girl”Credit: Courtesy of SSFF & ASIA
butterfly man
Abdurrahim Korkmaz was born in Mardin in 1984. His village did not have road, water and electricity until very late. The butterflies he saw on his neighbor’s TV changed his life.
Enis Manaz / 0:05:35 / Turkey / Documentary / 2020
THE EYES
Colya is dead. A good man, a son, a husband, a friend, a neighbor. Everyone loved him, but at the wake, it turns out no one really knew him.
Olga Azhnakina / 0:08:08 / Russia / Drama / 2020
Hindsight
A fleeting retrospective of a young woman who develops a chronic illness throughout 2020.
Shubhi Sahni / 0:03:23 / Canada / Experimental / 2021
Tie
It’s been several years since fireworks festivals were canceled in a city famous for its fireworks.
A woman stands in front of a poster topped with a sticker informing her that the festival has been ‘cancelled’. Curious, she peels off the sticker to find a hole that shouldn’t exist…
Hiroshi Takano / 0:05:15 / Japan / Fantastic / 2021
‘Tie’Credit: Courtesy of SSFF & ASIA
Lilac
The main character Lila struggles with PTSD. As therapy, she created a video blog for her brother, who has been in a coma since the tragic accident. The film is inspired by Dominika’s life in Trybulec.
Kacper Świtalski & Dominika Trybulec / 0:09:44 / Poland / Drama / 2021
Present for the future
Amanda walks in the forest. She enjoys the beauty of nature, listens to the sound of streams and jumps. She finds a rabbit on her way and wants to hold it. Then suddenly…
Shamir Raiapov / 0:01:00 / Kyrgyzstan / Drama / 2021
seal history
Jakub worked in a hotel and a museum in Iceland. When the COVID-19 pandemic started, Jakub lost his job and missed the last plane to Poland. He was completely alone in the hotel for a few months. Due to several flight cancellations, he still cannot return to Poland and is waiting.
Bartłomiej Błaszczyński / 0:16:10 / Poland / Documentary / 2020
SHOLTE; The wick of the lamp
When teenager Pradip lost his father, he became helpless. The pandemic made life more difficult and Pradip also had to perform rituals for his father’s funeral. But the question arises, when he learns that the funeral will not be finished without a photo of the deceased person, is it really obvious to finish the funeral?
Hemanta Sadeeq / 0:13:03 / Bangladesh / Drama / 2022
‘SHOLTE; The wick of the lamp’Credit: Courtesy of SSFF & ASIA
stalker
A student in her daily life is harassed by a stalker on her way home.
Rodolfo Ogura / 0:05:15 / Japan / Drama / 2022
Time
A woman who only aspires to live
Elizabeth Marlo / 0:07:27 / Mexico / Drama / 2021
ZERO ONE ZERO
Looking to boost his confidence, Chuck tries a new meditation technique and manifests a night he won’t forget.
Graham High / 0:12:36 / USA / Sci-fi / 2021
The festival is happening now, from Thursday April 28 to Thursday June 30, 2022. Let us know which films resonate with you in the comments below!
