Here are three long-form narrative shorts (19-54 min each) from around the world.
SHEER QORMA: Sheer Qorma is a story of belonging and acceptance, identity and family, and how it comes together under one roof, as resilient, queer Muslim women and non-binary characters of color, choose to embrace love that exists beyond their personal beliefs and social moralities.
THE FISH WITH ONE SLEEVE: Hikari Shintani (Yu Ishizuka), a trans woman, works at an ornamental fish company and lives alone in Tokyo. While occasionally feeling an indescribable distance between herself and others, she enjoys the company of her trans women friends and workmates. One day, Hikari returns to her hometown for a business trip. To reveal her true self as a woman, she gathers her courage and texts her old classmate Takashi, a long-unrequited love from high school.
ALL BOYS AREN'T BLUE: Bernard David Jones, Dyllon Burnside, Thomas Hobson, along with Jenifer Lewis bring George M. Johnson's words to life in this dramatic reading of their book, All Boys Aren't Blue. Each of the characters represent a Johnson at different stages of their life. The memoir is a firsthand account of trials, tribulations, and triumphs that have made George M. Johnson into the person they are today.
US PREMIERE!
Hikari Shintani (Yu Ishizuka), a trans woman, works at an ornamental fish company and lives alone in Tokyo. While occasionally feeling an indescribable distance between herself and others, she enjoys the company of her trans women friends and workmates. One day, Hikari returns to her hometown for a business trip. To reveal her true self as a woman, she gathers her courage and texts her old classmate Takashi, a long-unrequited love from high school.
In Japanese with English subtitles.
Based on a poem by the poet Yumi Fuzuki, Tsuyoshi Shoji, an openly bisexual film director highly acclaimed for his LGBTQ+ films, captures the journey of the trans woman taking her first firm step by overcoming various microaggressions. Until recently in Japan, transgender roles were often played by cisgender actors. In this film, the actors were selected in Japan’s first-ever audition held specifically for trans women. Out of many applicants, the fashion model Yu Ishizuka was cast for the main role. Few other trans women were also cast through the audition. As part of the COVID-19 measure, the entire film was shot speedily by a small crew with only one Sony Xperia 1 smartphone.
Director Biography - Tsuyoshi Shoji
An openly bisexual film director highly acclaimed for his LGBTQ+ films, Tsuyoshi started his career when he was an Musashino Art University student. His early work “Lost in the Garden" was exhibited in Tokyo International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival and won the Special Jury Award in 1995. After that, he directed many works in wide genres, from independent to commercial films. He is also active as a VFX professional. His short film ”Old Narcissus” (2017) was awarded 10 prizes and was screened over 20 film festivals in 7 countries.
- Year2021
- Runtime34 minutes
- LanguageJapanese
- CountryJapan
- PremiereUnited States Premiere
- DirectorTsuyoshi Shoji
- ScreenwriterTsuyoshi Shoji
- ProducerTsuyoshi Shoji
- CastYu Ishizuka,
Here are three long-form narrative shorts (19-54 min each) from around the world.
SHEER QORMA: Sheer Qorma is a story of belonging and acceptance, identity and family, and how it comes together under one roof, as resilient, queer Muslim women and non-binary characters of color, choose to embrace love that exists beyond their personal beliefs and social moralities.
THE FISH WITH ONE SLEEVE: Hikari Shintani (Yu Ishizuka), a trans woman, works at an ornamental fish company and lives alone in Tokyo. While occasionally feeling an indescribable distance between herself and others, she enjoys the company of her trans women friends and workmates. One day, Hikari returns to her hometown for a business trip. To reveal her true self as a woman, she gathers her courage and texts her old classmate Takashi, a long-unrequited love from high school.
ALL BOYS AREN'T BLUE: Bernard David Jones, Dyllon Burnside, Thomas Hobson, along with Jenifer Lewis bring George M. Johnson's words to life in this dramatic reading of their book, All Boys Aren't Blue. Each of the characters represent a Johnson at different stages of their life. The memoir is a firsthand account of trials, tribulations, and triumphs that have made George M. Johnson into the person they are today.
US PREMIERE!
Hikari Shintani (Yu Ishizuka), a trans woman, works at an ornamental fish company and lives alone in Tokyo. While occasionally feeling an indescribable distance between herself and others, she enjoys the company of her trans women friends and workmates. One day, Hikari returns to her hometown for a business trip. To reveal her true self as a woman, she gathers her courage and texts her old classmate Takashi, a long-unrequited love from high school.
In Japanese with English subtitles.
Based on a poem by the poet Yumi Fuzuki, Tsuyoshi Shoji, an openly bisexual film director highly acclaimed for his LGBTQ+ films, captures the journey of the trans woman taking her first firm step by overcoming various microaggressions. Until recently in Japan, transgender roles were often played by cisgender actors. In this film, the actors were selected in Japan’s first-ever audition held specifically for trans women. Out of many applicants, the fashion model Yu Ishizuka was cast for the main role. Few other trans women were also cast through the audition. As part of the COVID-19 measure, the entire film was shot speedily by a small crew with only one Sony Xperia 1 smartphone.
Director Biography - Tsuyoshi Shoji
An openly bisexual film director highly acclaimed for his LGBTQ+ films, Tsuyoshi started his career when he was an Musashino Art University student. His early work “Lost in the Garden" was exhibited in Tokyo International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival and won the Special Jury Award in 1995. After that, he directed many works in wide genres, from independent to commercial films. He is also active as a VFX professional. His short film ”Old Narcissus” (2017) was awarded 10 prizes and was screened over 20 film festivals in 7 countries.
- Year2021
- Runtime34 minutes
- LanguageJapanese
- CountryJapan
- PremiereUnited States Premiere
- DirectorTsuyoshi Shoji
- ScreenwriterTsuyoshi Shoji
- ProducerTsuyoshi Shoji
- CastYu Ishizuka,