The pandemic has forced long periods of sameness upon us. These recent indie animated sorts challenge us to break free from lockdown apathy and look at the world from a new perspective.
Die Covid-19-Pandemie hat uns lange Perioden der Eintönigkeit aufgezwungen. Zeit für einen Ausbruch: Diese animierten Kurzfilme fordern uns auf, die Lockdown-Apathie hinter uns zu lassen und die Welt aus neuen Perspektiven zu betrachten.
I am pleased to announce that I have curated another independent animation short film programme for Nippon Connection together with festival director Florian Höhr. Despite the challenges of the ongoing pandemic, I have been able to go to some festivals such as Image Forum Festival (IFF) and the Japan Media Arts Festival (JMAF), but they haven't had their usual vibe with the 3 Cs rules in effect ... particularly without the ability to go out to drink and chat with artists afterwards.
In particular, I really miss gallery opening parties and film debut screening events, which are a great place to find out what people are working on at the moment. In March, the graphic designer, musician and animator Hayoto NOVE invited me to the opening of his latest work Parallax (2021) in a gallery in Ginza. We were limited to a maximum of 6 people per screening, but it was such a pleasure to at least be able to talk to the artist and his "team" (his wife & collaborator, the equally talented Tomoko NOBE). Nove-san was concerned that with a run time of about half an hour, that the film might be a bit on the long side for an animated short, but I could tell him truthfully that I had not even noticed the length! Nove's films tend to envelope me in their visual and soundscape so thoroughly that I am hardly aware of my surroundings. These independent works are a real labour of love for Nove, and it is wonderful to follow him on his artistic journey. Florian & I are so honoured that Nove-san has allowed us to have the world festival premiere of this most impressive work.
I saw the indie animation legend Keita KUROSAKA's most recent animation The Living Wall (生きる壁, 2020) at IFF2020. His masterpiece Midori-ko (2010) was a big success at NC2011 and this latest work does not disappoint.
Another gem from IFF2020 is Masa KUDO's Difference and Repetition and Coffee (差異と反復とコーヒー, 2020). Kudo is new to the animation scene but has an amazing future ahead of her. She grew up in Hokkaido where she graduated from Hokkaido Kyoiku University. She also studied at the Image Forum film school which specialises in experimental film and animation. The influence of IFF film school is very apparent in this film!
Geidai 2017 grad Ryotaro MIYAJIMA's first post-grad school independent film has found much success at animation festivals both at home and abroad. I first saw it at IFF2019, and have delighted whenever I have seen it on a screening programme. Every time I watch this visual journey into the Sengoku Period, I catch another small detail I missed the first time. It is a study of how to use movement and transitions masterfully in animation.
Shunsaku HAYASHI brings his painterly magic to his animation films and I am so thrilled that we can include his latest work Leaking Life in our programme this year. The film won Best Short Animation at the 24th Riga International Short Film Festival. Hayashi-san first featured in one of my animation selections at NC2019 with Railment (2019).
The TamaGra (Tama University of Arts Graphic Design Department) animation programme has been producing really wonderful animators for the past couple of decades. Isaku KANEKO's Locomotor (2019) and The Balloon Catcher demonstrate that he is someone to keep an eye on in the future. I was also quite taken by Tomoe OBAYASHI's Mubi (2019) and was compelled to include it in the programme.
Due to the ongoing covid-19 restrictions, Nippon Connection (June 1-6, 2021) will be hosted online again this year. I am crestfallen for the festival, because part of its allure is all the in-person events, activities, and culinary delights. On the other hand, the online forum means that the films can attract a larger audience than is possible with the limited seats of a cinema. For rights reasons, this screening selection is region-restricted to Germany only.
Booking information can be found here:
Keita Kurosaka 黒坂圭太
The Living Wall
生きる壁
2020, 6 min.
Ryotaro Miyajima 宮嶋龍太郎
Castle
2019, 5 min.
Shunsaku Hayashi 林俊作
Leaking Life
2019, 14 min. 32 sec.
Masa Kudo 工藤雅
Difference and Repetition and Coffee
差異と反復とコーヒー
2020, 4min. 33 sec.
Isaku Kaneko 金子 勲矩
The Balloon Catcher
2020, 6min
Isaku Kaneko 金子 勲矩
Locomotor
2019, 3 min.
Tomoe Obayashi 大林 知恵
Mubi
夢寐
2019, 6 min.
Hayato Nove 野辺ハヤト
parallax
2021, 30 min.
2021 Cathy Munroe Hotes
