News & Reports

【On-site Report 5/29】SSFF&ASIA 2025 @Omotesando Hills

2025.06.03

On May 29, 2025, the “NEO JAPAN” program was held at the Omotesando Hills venue. This was a special screening bringing together works by young creators who will lead the next generation of Japanese cinema.

■ NEO JAPAN Program

“UNLEASHED” Director: Haruka Imou

A female painter continues working silently in a stuffy room. Chased by deadlines, required painting styles, and unchanging work processes, she discovers… A story of rediscovering passion for creativity!

“Mackerel-man” Director: Rintaro Uekawa

A mail carrier receives letters every time she delivers packages to Mackerel-man’s house. One day, she discovers Mackerel-man running an ice cream stand on the street. This was a heartwarming story of connection portrayed through a unique setting.

“Still Water” Director: Henderson Mei

18-year-old Mikan and Maya spend boring summer days working at a tropical fish shop in the suburbs of Tokyo. One day, when the shop owner acquires a rare fish, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presents itself to the two… This work delicately portrayed the pain and unstable growth of adolescence.

“Summer at Shared House Mebuki” Director: Hiromi Nakane

“Shared House Mebuki” where young people pursuing dreams gather. Reclusive horror novelist Kiriko is struggling with the intense heat. Kiriko tries to solve the heat problem by cooperating with the residents, but her roommates are all eccentric… This was a charming drama portrayed with a comedic touch!

■ Q&A Session

From “Still Water”: Director Henderson Mei, Sera Uehara (Cast), Toshiharu Yaegashi (Cinematographer)

We were able to hear valuable episodes about what inspired them to make this film, on-set incidents, and character development. The behind-the-scenes stories about how they expressed the complex emotions of adolescence through film were extremely fascinating!

From “Summer at Shared House Mebuki”: Director Hiromi Nakane, Shu Harada (Cast), Tadashi Mizuno (Cast)

We heard many interesting stories about the filming conditions and the message embedded in the title “Mebuki-so”! They also spoke in detail about character development and direction that drew from their own experiences.