Competition & Awards Jury
Competition & Awards
Grand Prix
George Lucas Award
The George Lucas Award (Grand Prix) will be selected from out of the Live-action Competition (International, Asia International, Japan), Non-Fiction and Animation categories.
Live-action Competition
A live-action competition consisting of three categories: International, Asia International, and Japan.
International Best Short Award
A live-action Competition program that screens short films from every corner of the world, with the exception of Asia and Japan.
The winning film will be eligible for an Academy Awards® nomination in one of the short film categories the following year.
Prize: 600,000 yen
Asia International Best Short Award
A live-action Competition program of international short films that presents works from throughout Asia, with the exception of Japan.
The winning film will be eligible for an Academy Awards® nomination in one of the short film categories the following year.
Prize: 600,000 yen
Japan Best Short Award
A live-action Competition that presents short films from Japan.
The winning film will be eligible for an Academy Awards® nomination in one of the short film categories the following year.
Prize: 600,000 yen
Governor of Tokyo Award
This award will be given to the films awarded Best Short in both the Live-action competition Asia International and Japan.
Audience Award
Audience members will vote to give the award to one winner from the each of the official competition category – International, Asia International, Japan, Non-Fiction and Animation.
Best Actor Award
Winners will be selected from each of the Live-action Competition (International, Asia International & Japan Competition).
Other Competitions
Competitions and Projects with various themes.
Non-Fiction Competition
In 2018, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of SSFF & ASIA, we established the brand new “Non-fiction Competition.”Being an Academy Awards® accredited short film festival has allowed us to present this competition, which will let the audience experience the power of visual images.
Best Short Award
This is an award given to the best film selected from the nominees.
The winning film will be eligible for an Academy Awards® nomination in one of the short film categories the following year.
Prize: 600,000 yen
Animation Competition
We look for a wide range of animated short films! The Best Short Award Winner will be eligible for nomination at the annual Academy Awards® the following year.
Best Short Award
This award will be given to the best film in the Animation Competition chosen by the 3 jury memebers, together with Digital Hollywood Co.,Ltd. and the Committee for Short Shorts.
Prize: 600,000 yen
Cinematic Tokyo Competition
Established in 2017, the Cinematic Tokyo Competition introduces short films that take “Tokyo” as their subject. It shows the many attractions that Tokyo has to offer.
Best Short Award
This award will be given to the best film in the Cinematic Tokyo Competition.
The Governor of Tokyo Award is also given to this film.
Prize: 1,000,000 yen
U-25 project
Established in 2019. In order to support young Japanese or Japan-based filmmakers, we called for short films of less than 5 minutes, produced by directors under 25 years old.
Best Short Award
This award will be given to the best film in the U-25 Project.
Prize: 100,000 yen
Book Shorts Award
Literary Award that links with short films. A project for the public to submit short stories and screenplays written based on fairy tales, legends, folk tales, and novels.
Best Award
Best Award Awarded to one work among all the entries. The winner will be awarded 500,000 JPY as well as an opportunity for the work to be adopted into a short film.
Prize: 500,000 yen and an opportunity for the work to be adopted into a short film
Other Awards
HOPPY HAPPY AWARD
The “Be HAPPY with HOPPY Award” will be chosen from among the nominated short films by Japanese directors that best embodies Hoppy beverage’s theme of being “HAPPY with HOPPY.” The winning works will be screened at “HOPPY HAPPY THEATER” which will open in June.
Prize: 500,000 yen
Supplementary Prize: In addition, the director will be given the opportunity to direct a short film produced by Hoppy Beverage and SSFF & ASIA.
CyberAgent Vertical Award
An award presented to works or projects that have demonstrated “high impact and expressive power” in vertical short film content within Japan in recent years.
Prize: 500,000 yen
Additional Prize: A special experience tour of the Kiwami AI Odaiba Studio and the right to produce a work using the studio.
TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY AWARD
Awarded to individuals, works, and projects that pioneer the future of visual storytelling and creatively connect Japan with the world.
DCP Award
An award in which participants democratically and openly select the winning works by utilizing a value-circulating community (DAO) pilot system provided by DeCurret DCP Inc. Winners are chosen through democratic voting by creators themselves. All Japanese works that have ever been submitted to SSFF & ASIA are eligible.
Prize: ¥500,000 or digital currency DCJPY equivalent to ¥500,000
Additional Award: Selected as an official “Creative Partner” certified by DeCurret DCP
Best Thrill Award supported by CRG
Subtle unease hidden in everyday life, a single shot that sends chills down the spine in an instant, and a kind of fear so compelling you cannot help but share it with someone. In selecting the works, we place emphasis on originality, addictiveness, and uncanny fear, as well as storytelling that reflects the theme, visual sensibility that resonates in the age of social media, and a distinctive authorial voice.
In this section, creator agency CRG will present the Common Theme Award (Special Saikyo Award) to one work selected under the shared theme of Fear Hidden in Everyday Life, the Monthly Theme Awards to four works selected from each monthly theme, and the Best Thrill Award Supported by CRG to one work chosen from among those five winners as the piece that most powerfully shakes the audience.
Prize money is 200,000 yen for the Common Theme Award, 50,000 yen each for the Monthly Theme Awards, and an additional 300,000 yen for the Best Thrill Award Supported by CRG, bringing the total prize amount to 700,000 yen.
Tom Yoda Next Frame Award
An award presented among the 2026 nominees to young Japanese creators—students or those who have not yet begun their professional careers—who demonstrate strong ambition on a global scale, supporting their learning in filmmaking and encouraging their challenge toward the next stage.
Shibuya Diversity Award
This award will be given to a work chosen from a selection of films that picture diversity and inclusion, which are part of the educational activities to spread the fundamental plan of Shibuya City.
Save the Earth!
Minister’s Award,
the Ministry of the Environment
This award is given to the work with the strongest message on environmental issues out of all the works selected for this year’s festival.
SSFF & ASIA is participating in the “Deco-Katsu Supporters,” a national movement to promote the creation of a new, enriched lifestyle that contributes to decarbonization, supporting and encouraging its practice through public-private collaboration.
J-WAVE
SOUND OF CINEMA AWARD
Selected by a jury of J-WAVE listeners, the award is given to the short film in which the “sound” in the film – such as the score, songs, voices, and instruments etc., are uniquely and effectively used.
Prize: ¥500,000
Global Spotlight Award
Selected by the Committee for Short Shorts, this award is given to the creator or artist of a short film that inspires a broad audience and receives widespread, global attention.
Most Viewed Award
Award for the most viewed film online at the Festival from the competition films screened online from June 11.
Promotional Movie Contest Best Short Clip Award
We invite submissions for promotional videos for the film festival and distributed voting rights for this contest to the public through LIFE LOG BOX, accepting votes from both creators and audiences.
Awarded to the work that received the highest number of votes and was selected by the Short Shorts Committee.
Prize: ¥100,000
Jury
Introducing the SSFF & ASIA 2026 jury members who will select the various awards.
International Competition & Non-Fiction Competition Jury
Yuya Ishii
Film Director
Born in 1983 in Saitama, Japan.
His graduation film at Osaka University of Arts, Naked Japan (2005), won the Grand Prix at the 29th Pia Film Festival. He made his commercial feature debut with Sawako Decides (2009), produced under the 19th PFF Scholarship.
At the 37th Japan Academy Prize, The Great Passage (2013) won both Best Picture and Best Director. The Tokyo Night Sky Is Always the Densest Shade of Blue (2017) was ranked No.1 in the 91st Kinema Junpo Best Ten and was selected for the Berlin International Film Festival.
His recent works include Masked Hearts, The Moon, and One Last Love Letter.
Kristin JI
Short Film Selection Committee member of Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival
Studied English Language and Literature at Chung-Ang University, and received her MA degree with the thesis 「Cinema of Ang Lee as a Popular Auteur」 at the Graduate School of Arts of Chung-Ang University. She had served as a programmer in Chungmuro International Film Festival (2007-2008) and Seoul International Family Film Festival (2010-2011). She was a jury member of the GrandOFF World Independent Film Award(2014-2016) in Poland. She has worked at the Asiana International Short Film Festival as a programmer from 2013 to 2021. Since 2023, she is working at Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival as a short film selection committee.
Miki Mizuno
Actor
After making her acting debut in her teens, she has built a wide-ranging career across film, television dramas, and stage productions.
She won Best Actress at the 28th Television Drama Academy Awards, as well as the Grand Prize for Best Action Actress at the 2nd Japan Action Awards.
She leads the theater unit “Propeller Dogs,” and in addition to acting, is also active in writing, directing, and producing. In 2025, she founded a new theatrical production company, All Out Challenge Inc., and has been working to connect Japan and international audiences through entertainment.
Her recent major appearances include the TV drama Is It a Crime to Kill the Person Who Took My Daughter’s Life? (2025) and the stage production The Sound of the Foundation: SEKIGAHARA (2025). She is currently appearing in the NHK morning drama series Kaze, Kaoru.
Asia International Competition & Japan Competition Jury
Ryan Ashore
Director of Red Sea Labs
Ryan Ashore is a filmmaker, producer, and creative artist whose passion for cinema began at an early age. After film school and experience on numerous film sets, he began his career with short films before expanding into drama, fashion, and independent film production across several countries. Through his role as the Director of the Red Sea Labs, Ryan has focused on supporting emerging and established talents from the Arab region, Africa, and Asia, helping develop the next generation of storytellers. He also launched the Music and Sound program, mentoring young composers and connecting them with internationally recognized professionals while expanding opportunities for creatives across film, series, animation, and music.
Kazuki Kitamura
Actor
Born in 1969. In 1999, he gained widespread attention for his performances in “Minazuki”(dir: Rokuro Mochizuki), which earned him the Best Supporting Actor award at the Yokohama Film Festival, and “Ley Lines”(dir: Takashi Miike), for which he received the Best Newcomer Award. Since then, he has appeared in numerous film productions.
His notable film credits include “Japan’s Tragedy”(dir: Masahiro Kobayashi, 2013), “Thermae Romae”(dir: Hideki Takeuchi, 2012, 2014), “Silent Parade”(dir: Hiroshi Nishitani,2022), and “SAMURAI VENGEANCE”(dir: Takashi MInamoto,2026). On stage, he delivered a standout performance as the King in the musical “The King and I”.
His television work includes the drama series ‘Tenchijin’, the ‘Samurai Cat’ series, Netflix’s “TOKYO SWINDLERS”, and “Kaze, Kaoru”, among others.
Chieko Murata
Executive Officer, Production Division MYRIAGON STUDIO
After graduating from Doshisha University with a degree in journalism, she studied film production at California State University.
She had worked at Sundance Institute supporting the development of emerging filmmakers, before returning to Japan. At NHK Enterprises, she was involved in the production of films such as “Osama”, winner of Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and “Me and You and Everyone We Know”, winner of Camera d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. She first participated in a Japanese film production with “Boy Meets Pusan” (2007, directed by Masaharu Take). After working at CJ Entertainment, Japan and Fox International Productions, she joined Sony Pictures, where she produced titles including “50 First Kisses” (2018, directed by Yūichi Fukuda)and “Kingdom” (2019, directed by Shinsuke Sato).
Since 2024, she serves as Executive Officer of the Production division at MYRIAGON STUDIO. She developed and produced the film
KOKUHO (2025, directed by Sang-il Lee).
Animation Competition Jury
Ayaka Wada
Musician and Writer
Born on August 1, 1994, in Gunma, Japan. She is an artist of poetry and words. In 2019, she graduated from “Hello! Project” and “ANGERME,” where she served as the sixth-generation leader. Drawing on her experience as an idol group member, she speaks and writes about idols from feminist and gender perspectives, including issues surrounding labor in the idol industry.
In her music activities, she writes lyrics, sings, and performs readings as part of the alternative pop band Ayaka Wada and Omnibus and the dub-ambient abstract band LOLOET. She completed a master’s degree (first half of the doctoral program) in art history at Jissen Women’s University Graduate School, and is also active in writing, lecturing, and media appearances related to museums and exhibitions.
Her publications include I Want to Say I’m Glad I Became an Idol (Ohta Publishing), among others.
Yusuke Hirota
Film Director
He graduated from the Faculty of Science and Technology at Keio University. After completing the CG/VFX program at Digital Hollywood, he joined STUDIO4°C in 2001. He made his debut as a CGI director on the TV anime Piroppo (2001), directed by Katsuhito Ishii, and has since worked as a CGI director on numerous films, TV anime, commercials, and game movies, including The Animatrix – Beyond (2003), Genius Party – Baby Blue (2007), and Genius Party Beyond – Moondrive (2008).
He also handled opening direction for Berserk: The Golden Age Arc trilogy (2012–2013), and served as both director and CGI director on Harmony (2015). His first feature-length directorial work was Poupelle of Chimney Town (2020).
He later supervised CGI on ChaO (2025), and his second feature film as director, Poupelle of Chimney Town: The Promised Clock Tower, is set for release on March 27, 2026. The film has been nominated for the Generation Kplus section at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival.
Tomoyuki Sugiyama
Founder of Digital Hollywood
After completing a master’s degree at the Graduate School of Science and Technology at Nihon University, he worked as a research assistant at the same university, engaging in architectural acoustic design through computer simulation. In 1987, he moved to the United States, where he served as a visiting researcher at the MIT Media Lab, a senior researcher at the International Media Research Foundation, and later as a full-time lecturer at Nihon University Junior College.
In 1994, he founded Digital Hollywood. He went on to establish the Digital Hollywood Graduate School in 2004 and Digital Hollywood University in 2005, serving as president until March 2026.
His major publications include Cool Japan: Why the World Wants Japanese Products (Shodensha) and Digital Stream: Redesigning the Future (new edition/e-book, Digital Hollywood Publishers), among others.
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