LOS ANGELES, Dec. 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles and Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA), the largest short film festivals in Asia and Academy Award® qualifying festivals, have joined together for the second time to showcase Short Shorts Film Festival in Hollywood on January 11, 2024. The one-day film festival celebrating film and culture will screen several diverse short films created by Japanese and international filmmakers, from up-and-comers to an Academy Award-winning filmmaker.

Marking the 5^th anniversary of JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles, and the 25^th anniversary of the SSFF & ASIA, this year’s theme “Unlock Cinema | Short Films, Infinite Possibilities,” celebrates the filmmakers’ journey, recognizing how most filmmakers’ careers begin by creating short films, unlocking their potential to create feature-length films. The festival will also include a talk event by SSFF & ASIA founder and President Tetsuya Bessho, Takuma Takasaki, co-writer and producer of “PERFECT DAYS”, and moderated by USC’s Senior Director of Festival, Distribution & Talent Development, Sandrine Cassidy.

“Los Angeles is the birthplace of both myself as an actor and the SSFF & ASIA. For 25 years, we have gathered in Japan and then transmitted around the globe the trends from Asia and the pulse of the world,” said Besho Tetsuya, founder, SSFF & ASIA. “Now with the honor of holding SSFF & ASIA once again in Hollywood, the entertainment capital of the world, we aim to take another step forward for the film festival and particularly for filmmakers and creators from Asia and around the world.”

“Unlock Cinema | Short Films, Infinite Possibilities” will screen six short films including the 2023 SSFF & ASIA George Lucas Award (Grand Prix) -winning animation film "The Bridge" directed by Izumi Yoshida, and “Gratitude" directed by Eita Nagayama and starring Koji Yakusho, Best Actor Award winner at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival for “PERFECT DAYS”. Wim Wenders' "Some Body Comes into the Light" will make its North American premiere and was created during the shooting of "PERFECT DAYS," Japan's official submission for this year’s Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. The festival will also showcase Academy Award-winning director Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s 2016 short film “Heaven is Still Far Away” which preceded his critically acclaimed feature film, “Drive My Car.”

“After a brief hiatus, we are thrilled to welcome back the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia in Hollywood, celebrating this unique contribution to the international film industry,” said Yuko Kaifu, president, JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles. “Many of our most celebrated filmmakers today started their careers by creating short films; the experience opened a pathway for them to create feature length works of art that have become critical pieces of our culture.”

2024 SHORT SHORTS FILM FESTIVAL & ASIA PROGRAM

Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia in Hollywood
6:30PM – 8:30PM | TCL Chinese 6 Theatres | Ovation Hollywood, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Level 3

• “The Bridge” (2022) Directed by Izumi Yoshida
• “Gratitude” (2022) Directed by Eita Nagayama
• “Heaven is Still Far Away” (2016) Directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi
• “MASKAHOLIC” (2021) Directed by Hiroki Horanai
• “Negative Space” (2017) Directed by Ru Kuwahata / Max Porter
• “Some Body Comes into the Light” (2023) Directed by Wim Wenders

Talk with Tetsuya Bessho and Takuma Takasaki
8:30PM – 8:55PM | TCL Chinese 6 Theatres | Ovation Hollywood, 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Level 3

Admission is $10. Reserve tickets at www.japanhousela.com

For more information, visit the JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles website and social channels: Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and LinkedIn.

ABOUT JAPAN HOUSE
JAPAN HOUSE is an innovative, worldwide project with three hubs – London, Los Angeles and Sao Paulo – conceived by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. It seeks to nurture a deeper understanding and appreciation of Japan in the international community. Occupying two floors at Ovation Hollywood (formerly Hollywood & Highland), JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles offers a place of new discovery that transcends physical and conceptual boundaries creating experiences that reflect the best of Japan through its spaces and diverse programs.

Location: 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028
Website: www.japanhousela.com

Media Contacts:
Nerissa Silao | 310-874-9230 | nerissas@ca.rr.com
Lisa Nakanouchi | 323-904-9298 | lnakanouchi@japanhousela.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/150e4f9b-da4c-40a1-af6f-b92e199a9be7