Tokyo Lift-Off Film Festival 2024
Network Round Shorts
Monday 27th May - Sunday 2nd June
1. Shep, TX
Director/Producer: Christo John Shanahan Milner
United Kingdom
Synopsis: In a remote part of South Sudan, the time honoured routine of a young cattle herder is taken from him. He is then forced to face his new reality.
2. long term care
Writer/Producer: 旻 宗 謝
Taiwan
Synopsis:Stories or thoughts about taking care of family members
3. The price of tears
Director/Writer: Nicolas Spanoudis
France
Synopsis: Paris 1923, Giulia, a young maid in the service of a notary, Maître Soubiran, hides a heavy secret: she is an unwed mother. Trapped in a conservative society, Giulia struggles to find a way out of her situation. Maître Soubiran decides to help her. Between suspense and drama, "Le prix des larmes" explores the intricacies of injustices and struggles for women's freedom and dignity.
4. KAMIYAMA
Director: Kohei Watanabe
Japan
Synopsis: Kamiyama is a small town located deep in the Japanese mountains of Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku Island. It faced challenges common to many rural Japanese towns — local industries were struggling due to declining domestic demand, and young people were leaving in search of better opportunities.
5. First time
Director: HIROAKi MIZUNO
Japan
Synopsis: Hajime is always at the mercy of his violent seniors. He is forced to drink and drive, causing a fatal accident. However, the beautiful girl he killed does not have a scratch on her, and she even likes Hajime?
6. Out Of The Grey
Director/Writer: Marta Baidek
United Kingdom
Synopsis: Out of the grey" is sci-fi short film that tells the story of Laura, a pregnant environmental refugee who is forced to leave her haven in the hope to find medical support and safety for her unborn baby. The film touches on present day issues like the cost of living, global warming and the refugee crisis and is set in an inhospitable world.
7. Innermost
Director: Maing Caochong
China
Synopsis: The background of the stop-motion animation short film Innermost is set in the future featured by highly advanced technologies but collapsed society and civilization system. The cyberpunk-style science fiction world coexists fantastically with the traditional oriental martial arts world. The story follows the emotional entanglement between a long-lost chivalrous couple and a person with regenerated organs starting from a fight for a mystic magic lyre. From the perspective of what regeneration technologies are able of, the short film will arouse the audience to think of how the value of emotions can be magnified or dissolved.
8. Keepers of the Channel Lights
Director: Vincent Monahan
Ireland
Synopsis: Keepers of the Channel Lights is an experimental short-documentary that tells the story of the brave men from Coney Island Ireland who hand-lit the perches between the Port of Sligo and Rosses Point every day from the 1920s to the 1940s.
9. Your Voice
Director: Do-Gyung Yun
Republic of Korea
Synopsis: Your Voice" explores the unique connection between Gina, an American woman adopted from Korea at a young age, and Jaewoo, a lesser-known Korean film director. Their relationship, solely built through an anonymous call app, deepens despite the physical distance. The film navigates themes of identity, cultural roots, and the challenges of modern digital relationships, and beautifully captures the essence of contemporary relationships and self-discovery.
10. First Crush
Director/Writer: YU-HSUAN LIU
Taiwan
Synopsis: During a recruitment performance at the Hot Music Club, Jian-Kai is deeply captivated by the senior member, Yu-Jia, leading him to join the club. As Jian-Kai and Yu-Jia gradually grow closer, Jian-Kai is suddenly informed by Yu-Jia of his decision to leave the club. Determined, Jian-Kai resolves to bring Yu-Jia back.
11. Let Me Out
Director: Nolt Vutthisak
Thailand
Synopsis: With issues at hand, the girl fled to her family home. Old memories rushing back, something awaited her.
12. La Vida Es Fria
Director/Writer: Estevan Oriol
United States
Synopsis: The story follows Jason, a struggling classic car mechanic and aspiring musician who is always overshadowed by his neighbor, Goober. However, after impressing the audience with his live performance, Jason finally earns the respect and admiration of Goober.
13. Hemlock
Director: Asif Khan Ranan
United States
Synopsis: Lina's a travel vlogger whose most recent trip brings her to Japan's Aokigahara Forest, also known as the Suicide Forest. While entering the forest to give her social media followers a closer look inside, she falls and loses consciousness. She awakens to find that somehow, she is lost deep within the forest. As she struggles to find a way out, Lina comes across the troubled hikikomori manga artist, Todoroki, who's in the forest himself to commit a horrible act. Lina tries to convince Todo to help her find a way out of the forest before ancient spirits try to trap them both there forever. She finally realizes the only way the forest will allow her to escape, is that she must first reconcile with her own inner demons.
14. The Blue Jay
Director. Marlene Shigekawa
United States
Synopsis: A Japanese American incarcerated on a reservation finds a friend in a Mohave Indian who helps him fight for civil rights.
15. Chain
Director: esrael alem
Netherlands
Synopsis: A young man’s new silver chain becomes a symbol of pride and status, but as the chain grows Inexplicably tighter it transforms from a luxurious accessory into a lethal snare leading to a tragic and ironic fate.
14. A LITTLE PRAYER
Director. Takashi Miwa
Japan
Synopsis: Break・・・Destroyed.
I just lose it. I don't want to lose it.