Shorts Program 1

Hail Mary (『マリアに幸あれ』– Maria ni Sachiare)
International Premiere. Stefanie Arianne (Plan 75) plays Mary, a Filipino woman who must protect a mysterious package from the cold and dangers of the Tokyo night. Hail Mary is shot entirely on a Xperia smartphone.

Dir. Mayu Nakamura, 2023, 10 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Stefanie Arianne, Takashi Yuki.

Wife’s Power Outage (『妻の電池切れ』 – Tsuma no Denchigire)
U.S. Premiere – Featuring In-Person Introduction from Director Kimi Yawata. Hana (Asami Usuda) and Yusuke (Munetaka Aoki) have been growing more distant over the past three years and now sit in a karaoke room contemplating divorce. As they weigh their future, Tokyo suffers a blackout, and at the same time, Hana suddenly collapses.

Dir. Kimi Yawata, 2023, 21 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Asami Usuda, Munetaka Aoki.

Bottle George (『ボトルジョージ』– Botoru Jo-Ji)
From the mind of Akihiro Nishino (Poupelle of Chimney Town) comes a short film with a big message. Told through disarmingly beautiful stop motion animation from Tonko House (ONI: Thunder God’s Tale) and Dwarf Studios (Pokemon Concierge), Bottle George is a parable for addiction, what we can lose when trapped by alcohol, and the hope of breaking free. Melancholy and arresting, Bottle George’s colorful animation jarringly delivers a powerful statement. There’s also a very fat cat.

Dir. Daisuke “Dice” Tsutsumi, 2024, 13 min., DCP, color, in Japanese with English subtitles. With Daisuke “Dice” Tsutsumi, Nodoka Kumeda, Hajime Takagi.

Part of JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film 2024
July 10—21, 2024

JAPAN CUTS is the largest showcase of contemporary Japanese cinema in North America and an annual highlight of New York’s cinema scene.

Image: Bottle George © CHIMNEY TOWN 2024.

Japan Society programs are made possible by leadership support from Booth Ferris Foundation and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Film programs are generously supported by ORIX Corporation USA, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, Anime NYC and Yen Press. Endowment support is provided by the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Endowment Fund and The John and Miyoko Davey Endowment Fund. Additional season support is provided by The Globus Family and Friends of Film. Transportation assistance is provided by Japan Airlines, the official Japanese airline sponsor of Japan Society Film. Housing assistance is provided by the Prince Kitano New York, the official hotel sponsor of Japan Society Film.