Is there a city more beautiful than the Japanese metropolis of Tokyo? There’s something about it that just lights up every frame of it on film.
Well, the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia is currently calling for short films that incorporate “Tokyo” as their subject or theme.
They want to see how you can highlight the city or the city’s ethos with your work.
Shorts that are selected into the festival will be streamed online during the festival period. What’s even cooler? The winner of the short film competition gets 1,000,000 JPY.
And the best part? This is an Academy Award-accredited fest, meaning if you enter to the Live Action, Non-Fiction, or Animation at the same time and win, you automatically get consideration for the Oscar for best short! The festival, which began accepting submissions on Friday, August 1, 2025, invites creators from around the globe to submit their work.
What Does A Previous Winner Have to Say?
Michele Motzo, this year’s Cinematic Tokyo Competition Best Short Award/Governor of Tokyo Award winner, had this to say about receiving the top prize: “Receiving this award in this city — the beating heart of the film — is a surprising and profoundly moving honor. It explores themes like work, love, money, solitude, and alienation through a stream-of-consciousness style that connects the lonely characters on screen. The film shows that with limited resources, it’s still possible to create something meaningful, entertaining, and moving by blending personal introspection with a love for the craft.”
‘Giajin’Credit: Michele Motzo
A New Era for Creators
In a groundbreaking move for Japan’s film festival circuit, SSFF & ASIA 2026 is embracing the future of digital interaction. All submissions will be managed through “LIFE LOG BOX,” a rights management platform specializing in content for short films.
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, every creator who submits a film will automatically receive a digital wallet.
This wallet enables them to engage in upcoming Web3 services on the platform, including NFT-based voting and content trading.
The long-term vision is to cultivate a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) community, allowing the festival, creators, and audiences to interact directly and transparently through blockchain technology.
How to Submit Your Film
We are not only looking for films that take place in Tokyo, but also for films that depict memories of Tokyo, impressions of Tokyo, or even shops in overseas locations that offer an experience of “Tokyo”.
Please send in your “Tokyo”-themed submissions!
This short was specially produced with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
– YouTube www.youtube.com
SUBMISSION PERIOD
- August 1, 2025 – January 31, 2026
SUBMISSION FEE
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
- Theme: “Tokyo” — Must feature in the film. It can be imagined, fictional, or filmed outside Tokyo.
- Examples:
- Films shot in and around Tokyo
- Films based on the image of Tokyo
- Futuristic Tokyo (e.g., 100 years from now)
- Examples:
- Genre: Any
- Japan Premiere: Not required
- Running Time: 25 minutes or under (incl. credits)
- Production Year: Not specified
- Production Country: All accepted
- Language: English subtitles are required for submissions with languages other than English or Japanese.
AWARD
- Best Short Award / Governor of Tokyo Award: JPY 1,000,000
USEFUL INFO
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
Submit via:
RESULTS
- Final Selection Results: By the end of April 2026 on the official festival website.
- Check application status via LIFE LOG BOX. Account details will be emailed post-submission.
Summing It All Up
If you have ever wanted to celebrate Tokyo or even try out for an Academy Award nomination, this seems like the festival for you.
Not only is there a great cash prize, but a lot of prestige is involved.
Best of luck and happy filmmaking!
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