Tokyo Lift-Off Film Festival 2025
Network Round Shorts
Monday, 2nd June - Sunday, 8th June
1. The Terrorist
Director/Writer: Meena Rathor
Writer: Mina Juni Stenebraaten
Producer: Eleonor Anselme
Country of Origin: Norway
Synopsis: When three room mates welcome a new housemate into their apartment, tensions rise as suspicions about his true nature grow.Through humor and satire, the story unravels preconceived notions and explores the absurdity of fear and prejudice in unexpected ways.
2. Karita
Director/Writer/Producer: Koji Ueda, Virginia Rand de Witt, Koji Ueda
Writers/Producers: Haruka Hirata,Takei Toshiyuki
Producer: Mitsuhiro Kubo
Country of Origin: United States
Synopsis: Defying her wiser friend's advice, an American joyrides through Tokyo with three strangers.
3. Battery Mommy
Director/Writer/Producer: Seungbae Jeon
Writer/Producer: Insuk Kang
Country of Origin: Republic of Korea
Synopsis: Battery Mommy works at various stuffs such as soap bubble guns, cameras, and thermometers in the nursery. During the children's nap time of one winter day,
Battery Mommy finds out the Christmas tree in the nursery is on fire.
At the moment, she urgently runs to the fire alarm to safely rescue sleeping children...
4. Above water
Director/Writer: WANYING ZHANG
Producer: YINGJIE LI, ZECHUAN WANG
Country of Origin: China
Synopsis: Meng lives with her mother and fiancé in what appears to be a peaceful household, but hidden struggles simmer beneath the surface. A visit from her friend Yuan uncovers Meng’s personal pains within the family, sparking new conflicts and challenges. Though everything seems normal on the outside, the undercurrents of tension are quietly stirring.
5. Pigeons on the Rooftop
Director/Writer/Producer: Miruna Ursache
Producers: Aurelian Virgil Dragne
Country of Origin: Romania
Synopsis: In a quiet Bucharest suburb, Edith and Stan lead an unremarkable life—until Spiridon, the building handyman, stirs their routine with a startling revelation: their new neighbor, Anilov, breeds pigeons that are not what they seem. As Edith, a fervent believer in conspiracy theories, becomes increasingly obsessed, her imagination spirals out of control, blurring the lines between reality and paranoia. Meanwhile, Stan, a man of reason, struggles to anchor her in logic, navigating the growing conflict between belief and skepticism.
6. Tokyo Toy Boy
Director: Esli Balatova
Producer:Anon Banken
Country of Origin: Belgium
Synopsis: In a world of loneliness, Tokyo Toy Boy searches for a reason to keep going.
Through an intimate portrait, the documentary explores the battle between self-destruction and a better day tomorrow. Kazuho, a 24-year-old former host boy in the shady neighborhoods of Tokyo, bears the scars of a lost generation. Tokyo Toy Boy follows Kazuho's inner struggle. Between the urge for death and the hope for tomorrow, he quietly fights on and shows the struggles of young adults worldwide.
7. Sing with me
Director/Producer: Yuichi Nakamura
Writer: Yu Sakudo
Country of Origin: Japan
Synopsis: Chris has an elder brother Mike, who is about to make his debut as a professional singer. Once they both aimed to debut as a duo professionally, but it did not happen due to the decision of the record company. Chris, however, continued to write songs for his brother to support his solo debut.But Chris was killed by an accident, making the grieving Mike unable to sing and putting his debut in doubt. What appeared to mourning Mike was...
8. APART
Director/Writer/Producer: Luca Pirero
Writer: Karl Martin
Producer: Nils Eidvall
Country of Origin: Sweden
Synopsis:
A Swedish woman, just a few hours before her retirement party, discovers that her adopted son of Indian origin has become a right-wing extremist. Later on during the party, the adopted son provokes a political argument among the guests, forcing the adoptive mother to break the silence.
9. Outside the land
Director/Writer/Producer: Anna Zhang
Country of Origin: China
Synopsis: Jiang Shu, lost in confusion and fear of the future, escapes to Odawara for a brief retreat, only to find herself caught in an endless time loop. Amid her futile attempts to break free, she meets Xiaolan, a painter by the sea. What begins as a relentless trap slowly transforms into a journey of redemption, as Jiang Shu uncovers warmth and meaning in the ordinary, learning to face the unknown and embrace every possibility life offers.
10. Art Attack: Tale of fairy fantasy
Director: Sheng-Yen Tsao
Writer:Chie-Yen Lee
Producer:Yen-Ming Lai
Country of Origin: Taiwan
Synopsis: Ni Jui-hung believes in fairies. Taoists often associate these immortal creatures with the ideal Taiwanese woman: cute, bright, vivid, and successful. But, cuteness is never just about cuteness. As a visual artist, she turns this pervasive imagery from everyday life into thought provoking exhibitions that deconstruct social norms.
11. Doomsweepers: Apocalyptic Dream Team
Director: Sarah Harper
Producer: Sofia Iffla
Country of Origin: Australia
Synopsis: When a deadly outbreak occurs at a super secret (and totally not shady) pharmaceutical research facility, it's up to the team of janitors to do what they do best: clean up the mess!
12. She is BAD
Director/Writer: Salomon Simhon
Producer: Mayte Calzacorta
Country of Origin: Mexico
13. Say My Name
Director, Writer & Producer: Mariam Meliksetyan
Country of Origin: United States
Synopsis: People from different ethnic backgrounds with "difficult" names by Western standards share their experience with moving through the world with an identity that challenges others to simply just say their name. The film is a meditation on identity, otherness, assimilation, community, and ancestral roots.
14. Yuri
Director, Writer & Producer: APOLLONIO PALLOTTA
Country of Origin: Italy
Synopsis: Five wacky musicians sing of the exploits of Yuri, a bounty hunter in search of the O'Connor family.
The two crooks have appointed themselves sheriff and deputy of the small town of Brushwood.
An encounter with an indian woman will change Yuri's life forever.
15. Bullet Storm
Directed, Written & Produced by: Tim Pek, Peter Phan
Country of Origin: Australia
Synopsis: A seasoned contract killer, Ethan Khean, breaks his lethal code when ordered to assassinate a former ally who once saved his life. Defying his ruthless employers, Ethan sparks a deadly manhunt, forcing him into a fragile alliance with the very mafia boss he spared. As they fight to survive against a relentless crime syndicate, Ethan must confront his dark past and choose between redemption and survival.
16. Bluebottle Theory
Directed & Produced by: John J. Sanders, Luke O. Roberts
Written by: Luke O. Roberts
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Synopsis: Ever wanted to take the shot? Drew does. Every bloody day. Bluebottle Theory is a darkly comic noir-style nine-minute thriller with a twist.
17. BRIDGE -My Little Friends-
Directed by Kazuyuki Ishihara
Written by Takahiro Nagano
Produced by Makoto Mizusawa
Country of Origin: Japan
Synopsis: "I'll bring Shiro to you.I promise!" Jin, the cat, made this promise to Mugi, who is deeply sad about losing her beloved dog, Shiro.
Jin loves Mugi very much and, after hearing the story of the "Rainbow Bridge" from his owner Aki, he decides to take Mugi to meet Shiro at theRainbow Bridge! Can Jin heal Mugi's sadness? With the help of nearby pigeons and squirrels, Jin's great plan is now underway!
