Japanese Film Competition (Short Length)
Life Is Snow
- Onsite
- 7.15 (Mon) 13:20 Audio Visual Hall
- 7.18 (Thu) 10:30 Convention Hall
- Online
- 7.20 (Sat) 10:00 - 7.24 (Wed) 23:00
©東京藝術大学大学院映像研究科
Director: ZHANG Yaoyuan
Cast: Tokuma NISHIOKA, Tsuyoshi ABE, Minami OHBA, TAKEBAYASHI
2024 / Japan, China / 31min.
Ota, a Japanese war orphan left behind in China, was working at a bento factory in the snowy north of Japan, until the dire financial straits of his employer led to his firing. With no other job prospects, Ota goes to manager Nakamura to ask for another chance. This encounter descends into an argument—Ota claims that Nakamura assaulted him, and heads to the police station to make a report. He contacts a lawyer, Satoshi, to consult him about the case, but Satoshi remains cold towards him throughout. Just when it seems an out-of-court settlement might be reached, the case takes a new turn. The frank personality of Ota—nimbly acted by Tokuma NishiokaN—is thrown into relief by the whiteness of the snow, which reminds us of northeastern China. Life Is Snow was made as a graduation project at the Tokyo University of the Arts’ Graduate School of Film and New Media, and will have its world premiere at the festival.
Director: ZHANG Yaoyuan
Born in 1989 in Dalian, China. Received a MEXT scholarship to study as an international student in Japan in 2014, and currently a student at Tokyo University of the Arts’ Graduate School of Film and New Media. His short film Half Time (23) won the Best Short Film award at the 5th NOWNESS Short Film Awards in China, and was also nominated for awards at the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival, the 7th Pingyao International Film Festival, and the 45th Pia Film Festival.
Message
Does it really matter that much whether a person is Japanese or Chinese? Ota, a Japanese war orphan from China, is able to escape northeastern China by “returning” to Japan, but unemployment is a fate he seems unable to outrun. Who on earth can you turn to for help when you are so helpless in the face of your destiny? With this film, I wanted to stress the negative impact of social developments in which the problem of human alienation has caused the disappearance of family ties, and replaced them with relationships based on money.
