I’m a French director but I shot a film in Asia, with an Asian cast and European crew. Do I submit my work to the International Competition or Asia International Competition?

When submitting to the Live Action Competition, please select the category (International, Asia International or Japan) based on the director or the rights holder’s nationality. The final judgement will be decided by the Committee for Short Shorts based on the careful evaluation of the following criteria:
1.Director’s nationality (based on what is written on their passport)
2.Shooting location
3.Language used in the film
4.Nationality of the cast (based on what is written on their passport)
5.Source of funding

Are there any regulations on the genre of the film?

Accepted genres differ by the category, and we would like to have you state any corporate/community/commercial tie-ups, as well as if the film is a student film, whether it was produced through a scholarship program, etc. Please check each category page for further details.

Is it possible to submit to multiple categories?

We accept double entries between multiple categories, with the exception of combined submissions to an Live-action Competition, Animation Competition and the Non-Fiction Competition. When submitting, please keep in mind that the submissions are done separately for each category.

Is it possible to cancel my submission after I completed the payment for charged categories?

The festival cannot refund submission fees under any circumstances, with no exceptions.

What is the required format to upload my file?

We only accept either MOV or MP4 files.

There was an error when I tried to upload my file to the platform. Can I send a physical copy (DVD, USB, Blu-Ray, etc) to your address?

Due to shipment issues, we do not accept any physical copies to be sent as a submission.

My film is not screened in Japan, but it is uploaded online. Does this violate the Japan premiere status?

The situation may change based on the subtitles and language in your film. Your film MUST keep the Japan premiere status from August 1, 2022 until Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2023 in Tokyo ends. The following cases will affect the Japan premiere status and will be disqualified.

Films screened in Japan on any media and for any occasion including screening events, film festivals and so forth before and/or during Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2023 in Tokyo.
Films streamed online with Japanese subtitles and/or in the Japanese language before and/or during Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia 2023 in Tokyo. Non-dialogue films available online will be ineligible.

*If the film is in a non-Japanese language, has no Japanese subtitles and is available online outside of Japan, it will still be eligible for the competition.
*Japan premiere is not required for Japan Competition.

There was an error when I tried to upload my file to the platform. Can I send a physical copy (DVD, USB, Blu-Ray, etc) to your address?

Due to shipment issues, we do not accept any physical copies to be sent as a submission.

My film cannot be completed by the deadline. Is it possible to have a deadline extension?

SSFF & ASIA does not accept late submissions under any circumstances. As we receive similar requests from many filmmakers every year, we decided not to give any exceptions to be fair with all filmmakers.

*Please note that the announcement dates are subjected to change.