News & Reports

The festival reveals its Cannes-linked session featuring 6 emerging filmmakers, alongside deep-dives into TOPVIEW, CapCut, and TYO’s AI films—all set for worldwide streaming

Nov. 5th to 8th at

Tokyo Photographic Art Museum & kino cinéma Shinjuku

Nov.9th  to  22nd at Online Grand Theater

 TOKYO — October 20, 2026 — Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA), one of Asia’s largest international short film festivals accredited by the Academy Awards®, today announced the second wave of highlights for its Autumn Film Festival, running from November 5 to 22, 2026. Unveiling the core special programs for this autumn, this latest release spotlights the full lineup for its cutting-edge “Generative AI x Short Film” showcases. The program is headlined by a World Premiere from acclaimed J-Horror writer/director Ryuta Miyake (The Complex, Ju-On series) created with AI platform TOPVIEW, alongside global AI selections from CapCut and TOKYO STORIES season 2, an innovative project presented by leading Japanese production company TYO featuring 26 top creators. In addition, the festival has officially announced the 6 emerging Japanese filmmakers selected to present their works in an industry session linked with Cannes Film Festival’s Short Film Corner | Rendez-vous Industry, aimed at propelling Japanese talent onto the international film circuit. Notably, these pioneering AI-driven works and special selections will be available for worldwide streaming via the festival’s Online Grand Theater, offering international audiences front-row access to the future of visual storytelling. https://www.shortshorts.org/2026autumn/en/

J-Horror Master Meets Generative AI — World Premiere by Ryuta Miyake

A major highlight of the AI program is the World Premiere of “PSY DIVER -Episode 1-”, directed by legendary J-Horror writer and script doctor Ryuta Miyake (The Complex, Ju-On series). Produced using TOPVIEW’s AI creative platform, the sci-fi thriller delves into the deep subconscious of human minds. Joining the TOPVIEW AI lineup are two additional World Premieres from Asia: CENTER SPOT (dir. Xu Xiang / Singapore), an emotional short set in Seoul’s K-POP scene, and Proof of Live (dir. NIKO Song Zhuohan / China), a futuristic sci-fi piece exploring robot emotion and identity.   The screening on November 8 at kino cinéma Shinjuku will be accompanied by an exclusive panel featuring Director Miyake, Yin Wu (President of TOPVIEW JAPAN), and producer Shinichi Teraji (CEO of Ashitahe Inc.), discussing the intersection of generative AI, entertainment business, and cinematic storytelling. 『PSY DIVER -Episode1-』 Director：Ryuta Miyake / Japan / 2026 On a peaceful autumn riverbank, a mysterious stranger approaches a young man with two unsettling questions: “Where are we? And when are we? Meanwhile, deep in the forest near Mount Fuji, a top-secret experiment has gone terribly wrong.　Desperate for help, a researcher named Midori calls upon her ex-husband, Shigeru, who left the facility years ago. What awaits him is a past he had hoped never to confront again—and an unprecedented crisis looming on the horizon. Now, Shigeru must undertake a dangerous mission into the depths of the human mind. But what lies beyond is a world that defies all imagination… “Center Spot《When I stepped into the center spot》”

Xu Xiang /  Singapore /  2026 “Proof of Live”

NIKO /  Singapore  / 2026

Frontier of AI Storytelling — TYO’s “TOKYO STORIES” & CapCut Global Showcase

The festival expands its exploration of visual boundaries with two major AI showcases: TOKYO STORIES season 2 (Presented by TYO): Following its debut in June, this project brings together 26 leading creators—including MV director Jun Tamukai (known for Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s MV), digital artist SAEKO EHARA, and GEEK PICTURES AI lead JONAH KISHIYA—presenting 26 short films reimagining “TOKYO” through a blend of live-action and AI. CapCut AI Film Program: Selected from over 100 global submissions, CapCut presents 9 outstanding short films demonstrating how accessible AI tools are empowering a new generation of international storytellers.

＜Pickups from TOKYO STORIES season 2＞ From top left、Jun Tamukai, “TOKYO TOKAYO“ / JONAH KISHIYA, “TOKYO BASTARDS“  /SAEKO EHARA, “TOKYO FRAGMENTS“ / Teppei Kuroyanagi, “IKIMU TOKYO“ / Chihei Tanaka, “Tokyo Light Drawing“ /BANTAIZ, “TOKYO HEAVEN” ＜CapCut AI Film Program＞ From Top left, Eru Styles, “STILL GENERATING / “ Nere  “REUNION“ / toki, “THE UNFINISHED BRIDGE“ /Tech Talk Navigator, “IMMUNE PRIME“ / Hideya Shigematsu, “THE GREAT JOURNEY -Our Way Home-“ /  Nagi Story Music, “Halloween Night“ / Kanto Fujita, “Yuzu’s Promise“ / Naoyuki Okada, “Welcome Home — REIZOUKO“ /  minima, “kusarabi”

Empowering Next-Gen Japanese Talent for International Film Circuits

Connecting Japanese creators with the global market, SSFF & ASIA will host a special industry talk session featuring video participation from Florian Fernandez, head of Cannes Film Festival’s Short Film Corner | Rendez-vous Industry. The session highlights 6 emerging Japanese directors—Peter Clay, Masashi Sogawa, Takeshi Tanaka, Yuichiro Nakata, Hiromi Nakane, and Yuria Matsushita—who will pitch their trailers and discuss strategies for international career growth. A dedicated screening session showcasing their short films will precede the seminar on November 5 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography. From top left, Peter Clay, Masashi Sogawa, Takeshi Tanaka, Yuichiro Nakata, Hiromi Nakane, Yuria Matsushita

Worldwide Online Streaming & Additional Festival Updates

Global Online Grand Theater (Nov 9–22): International audiences can access the AI showcases and curated programs online. The online venue will also exclusively feature SNS Ambassador Picks, a selection of 5 standout short films recommended by Japanese movie influencers. Online Festival Passes are available globally ($5 Early Bird / $8 Regular). https://www.shortshorts.org/2026autumn/en/online/

Festival Details & Online Tickets

Tokyo Screenings: November 5 (Thu) – November 8 (Sun), 2026

Venues: Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, kino cinéma Shinjuku

Tickets：

General Admission: Advance: ¥1,500 / Same-Day: ¥1,800

University Students: Advance: ¥1,200 / Same-Day: ¥1,500

Elementary, Junior High & High School Students: Advance: ¥1,000 / Same-Day: ¥1,300

Preschool Children (Under 6): Free

Online Grand Theater (Worldwide Streaming at LIFE LOG BOX ): November 9 (Mon) – November 22 (Sun), 2026

Online Streaming Passport (Global Ticket Rates):

Early Bird Access (Sept 29 – Nov 8 JST): US $5

Regular Rate (Nov 9 – Nov 22 JST): US $8

Official Website & Streaming Platform:

Festival Website: Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2026 Screening in Autumn

Online Grand Theater: https://app.lifelogbox.com/shortshortsonlinegrandtheate

【Short Shorts Film Festival ＆ Asia】　

In 1999, Tetsuya Bessho, an actor and member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), founded the American Short Shorts Film Festival. His mission was to introduce “short films”—a genre he first encountered in the United States—to audiences in Japan as a new form of visual entertainment.

The festival was renamed Short Shorts Film Festival (SSFF) in 2001 and received official accreditation from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences® in 2004.

In the same year, Short Shorts Film Festival Asia (SSFF ASIA) was established in co-organization with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Its goal was to promote new visual culture from Asia and nurture emerging young filmmakers.

Today, these two festivals are collectively held under the name “SSFF & ASIA”. To commemorate the festival’s 20th anniversary in 2018, the Grand Prix was renamed the “George Lucas Award” in honor of director George Lucas.

In January 2019, the festival marked this milestone with the “Short Shorts Film Festival in Hollywood”. Furthermore, the festival’s influence has expanded significantly: winners of the four categories in the Live Action Competition (International, Asia International, Japan) and the Non-Fiction Competition since 2019, as well as the Animation Competition since 2022, earn eligibility for nomination at the following year’s Academy Awards®.

SSFF & ASIA remains dedicated to supporting young creators through the power of short film.

【Official Website】 https://www.shortshorts.org/index-en.php