• Business summary
• Event Outline
• Event Program
• Implementation Report
• Special website
• Executive Committee
• inquiry

Business summary

　The Kyoto International Student Film Festival is the largest international student film festival in Japan, planned and run by university students in the Kansai region, mainly in Kyoto. The festival aims to discover the talents and people who will lead the future of film by collecting independent films made by students from all over the world.
　Historically, Kyoto is a “city of film” that continues to inherit the cultural heritage of the early days of Japanese film, and is also a “city of universities and students,” with students making up 10% of the city’s population. This film festival aims to create a place for international exchange and mutual understanding and revitalize Kyoto by discovering and introducing talents that can add new realms to film from among the many potential works from around the world.

Event Outline

The 26th Kyoto International Student Film Festival

schedule:

February 10, 2024 (Sat) ~ February 12 (Monday, closed)

venue:

Kyoto Museum of Culture Film Theater

Online Streaming:

February 17, 2024 (Sat) – February 23, 2024 (Friday, Sunday)

Organizer:

The Consortium of Universities, Kyoto

Co-organized by:

The Museum of Kyoto

Planning and management:

The 26th Kyoto International Student Film Festival Executive Committee

Operational support:

Kyoto International Student Film Festival Planning Committee

Supported by:

Japan Arts Council / NISSHA Foundation

Sponsored by:

Kyoto Prefecture / Kyoto City / Kyoto Prefectural Board of Education / Kyoto City Board of Education / The Japan Foundation
NPO Visual Industry Promotion Organization / Directors Guild of Japan / Asahi Shimbun Kyoto Bureau UniJapan
Public Interest Foundation / Kyoto Shimbun / NHK Kyoto Broadcasting Station / KBS Kyoto
α-STATION FM Kyoto / Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan
J:COM Kyoto Miyabijon / Cineaste Organization Osaka

Sponsor:

King Records Co., Ltd. / Directors Univ. Inc. / Ritsumeikan University Graduate School of Film and New Media Fellows
Co., Ltd. / Grand Marble Co., Ltd. / Genki na Jimusho Co., Ltd. / Tohokushinsha Co., Ltd.
Non-verbal theater “GEAR” / Kyoto Prefectural Consumers’ Co-operative Union / MIHO Cinema /
Natalie Movies

Event Program

timetable

Ticket Information

	ALL DAY PASS	1DAY PASS
generally	3,000 yen	1,500 yen
Students	2,000 yen	1,000 yen
High school student	1,000 yen	500 yen
Middle school students and below	free	free

*Kyoto Museum of Culture Friendship Association members can view the exhibits for free by showing their membership card.
*Students (high school students and above) must show their student ID.
* Admission is free for those who present a physical disability certificate, a medical education certificate, a mental health and welfare certificate, an atomic bomb victim certificate, or a war injury certificate (regardless of rank or prefecture). In addition, admission is free for one caregiver per disabled person.*By presenting your ticket on the day of the event, you can also view the permanent exhibition in the general exhibition rooms on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the venue.

Online distribution

The 16 selected works will be streamed on Vimeo from
Saturday, February 17th, 2024 to Friday, February 23rd, 2024 (National Holiday) for
one week from the date of purchase
. You will need to register as a Vimeo member to watch.

Competition Winners (16 works in total)

[Program A]

Hellscape Alix Devaux, Camille Leroux, Felicia Poggi, Clemence Lacoume, Lara Brière, Valentine Wilke Supinfocom Rubika (France) 2022 / 6/ June	『The Crooker Lovers』 Thanachanok Padungchaipoomthai Mahidol University International College (Thailand) 2023 / 16分 / 実写
Lost in Count Gong Bochen Beijing Film Academy (China) 2022 / 30 min / Live action	“Between Us” YANG Ji-won Kookmin University (Korea) 2023 / 24 min / Live action
“EX MACHINA” Park Jongwoo Korea National University of Arts (Korea) 2023 / 36 min / Live action

[Program B]

“DOCOOK” by Kukai Habe Musashino Art University (Japan) 2023 / 4 min / Animation	Durian Trees Cheun Shi Chin Taiwan I-SHOU University (Taiwan) 2023 / 26 min / Live action
『음양판관』/ Hell-World Judge LICHEN GUAN Dongguk University (Korea) 2023 / 38/4	“Applause” / ovation Hirao Takumi Kyoto Seika University (Japan) 2023 / 34 min / Live action
『Returning to the South』/ Returning South Sofía Ayala German Film and Television Academy (Germany) 2022 / 15/ 実写

[Program C]

“MICROWAVE LOVE” KWON Chan Young Kookmin University(Korea) 2023 / 26min / Live action	“Fresh” Lee Euntaek The University of Suwon (Korea) 2023 / 14 min / Live action
“The Steak” Kiarash Dadgar Soore Art University of Tehran (Iran) 2023 / 8 min / Live action	“Life of Dongwoo Park” Hobeom Soongsil University (Korea) 2022 / 18 min / Live action
Movie Dream YANG Yuan Shanghai business school(China) 2023 / 39min / Live action	“SEWING LOVE” Wish Tama Art University (Japan) 2023 / 8 min / Animation

Special program

Kansai Planning (Kansai Focus) (2/11 screening)

Film: “Screenplay” Flash Back
Director: Yuichi Sasaki (Kindai University)
13 minutes

Film: “Grandpa Original”
Director: Kohei Yamada (Osaka University of Arts)
28 minutes

Film: A Cruel Thesis of Us
Director: Tai Wulin (Ritsumeikan University Graduate School) 30 minutes

Final Jury Project

“Takayoshi Oe Film Project” (Screening on 2/11)

Guest: “Appropriate Distance” directed by Takamitsu Oe,
2011 / Japan / 93 min.

“Yamaguchi Junta Director’s Filming Project” (Screening on 2/10)

Guest: Director Junta Yamaguchi
“At the End of the Droste”
2020 / Japan / 70 min.

“Yuki Yamato Director’s Film Screening Project” (Screening on 2/12)

“Tina Tamashiro Dreams”
2017 / Japan / 11 min

Final Jury

Takayoshi Oe (Film director and screenwriter) Born in Osaka Prefecture in 1981. Filmmaker. Majored in theater at Kinki University, learned the French acting system Lecoq System from Mr. Ohashi, and after graduation, he was involved in stage productions as a director and actor. After that, he started film production and worked as a director and scriptwriter. His new film “Whale Bone” (23), which he directed and wrote, is being released in theaters nationwide from October 13, 2023. His previous films include “Beautiful Art” (09) and “Appropriate Distance” (11). He has directed dramas such as “You Fly After School” (18 / TBS Service / Toei) and “Because I Forget Everything” (22 / Disney +). His scripts include “Luck of Love” (18 / TX), “Gannibal” (22 / Disney +), and “Wonder Hatch: The Island of the Flying Dragon” (23 / Disney +). He co-wrote the screenplay for the film “Drive My Car,” and together with director Ryusuke Hamaguchi, the screenplay won awards at the Cannes Film Festival, the Japan Academy Awards, and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards.	Junta Yamaguchi (Film Director) Born in Osaka Prefecture in 1987. Joined Europe Kikaku in 2005. Active as an all-in-one director, directing, shooting, and editing video content such as movies, dramas, commercials, and documentaries. “At the End of the Droste” (20) won awards at numerous international film festivals and was distributed in many countries. His latest film, “River, Don’t Let It Flow” (23), which was shot entirely in Kifune, Kyoto, won a special award at the 15th TAMA Film Awards. Other works he has directed include CreepHyp’s music video “Ito” and the TV series “He’s Good, He’s Bad, I’m the One” and “Don’t Leisure Time, Lovers.”
Yuki Yamato (Film Director) Film director. In 2012, while studying philosophy at Sophia University, he self-taught and directed “That Girl Dances on the Beach”. In 2016, his feature film “Drowning Love”, starring Nana Komatsu and Masaki Suda, attracted over 600,000 viewers, becoming an unprecedented hit for a film directed by a woman in her 20s. In 2018, his first anthology film “21st Century Girl”, which he planned and produced, was shown at the Tokyo International Film Festival. In 2019, “Hot Gimmick: Girl Meets Boy” was distributed to 190 countries around the world on Netflix. He will be the series composer and director of his first TV drama, “Living or Dying or Father or Something”, which will air in 2021. He has worked on music videos for many artists such as RADWIMPS, Nogizaka 46, and back number, as well as advertising videos for major companies, and is known for his fresh visual expression that transcends genres.

Submission results

Year of event	domestic	abroad	count
2023	134 works	300 works	434 works
2022	160 works	221 works	381 works
2021	172 works	143 works	315 works
2020	100 works	272 works	372 works
2019	101 works	176 works	277 works
2018	98 works	490 works	588 works
2017	129 works	356 works	485 works
2016	168 works	371 works	539 works
2015	123 works	94 works	217 works

Implementation Report

The 26th festival was held at the Museum of Kyoto over three days from February 10th (Sat) to 12th (Mon, holiday), 2024, and was streamed online from February 17th (Sat) to 23rd (Fri, holiday). This year, a total of 434 works were submitted, including 134 domestic works and 300 international works, from which 16 selected works were screened.
At the awards ceremony on the final day, the Grand Prix and Runner-Up Prizes were announced, as well as the Final Jury Awards selected by this year’s final judges, Directors Oe Takayoshi, Yamaguchi Junta, and Yamato Yuki, and the Executive Committee Awards selected by the Executive Committee. Directors Oe and Yamaguchi presented the awards and gave their overall comments, and Director Yamato and others sent video messages. The
winning works are as follows:

Competition Section Results Announcement

Grand
Prix

“Movie Dream” YANG Yuan
China/2023/39min/Live-action/Shanghai Business School

Synopsis: During the winter break of his third year of college, the COVID-19 pandemic occurred. During the long lockdown, Enen, who wants to be a film director, begins to think about his dreams and reality.

Semi Grand
-Prix

“Life of Dongwoo” PARK Hobeom (박호범/Park Ho-beom)
South Korea / 2022 / 18min / Live action / Soongsil University

<Synopsis> Dongwoo is ashamed that his mother is Chinese because his best friends Jun-gil and In-ho hate Chinese people, and hides it. One day, the three of them go to a factory run by In-ho’s uncle to do part-time work. While working with his friends, Dongwoo unexpectedly bumps into his mother. He immediately decides to ignore her, but…

Final Jury Award
Takamasa OE Award

“MICROWAVE LOVE” KWON Chan-youngKorea
/2023/26min/Live-action/KOOKMIN University

Synopsis: One day, an aspiring science fiction writer struggling with loneliness and depressing days notices that the sound of her microwave is speaking to her…

Junta YAMAGUCHI Award

“The Steak” Kiarash DADGAR
Iran/2023/8min/Live action/Soore Art University of Tehran

≪Synopsis≫One day, a mother prepares a cake and food for her daughter’s birthday. However, suddenly, the enemy forces launch a surprise attack, and the mother has nowhere to run. To protect her daughter, the mother hides her in the closet. The soldiers attack the house and kill the mother. A medic discovers the girl and tries to celebrate her birthday, but the birthday turns into a funeral…

Ū-ki YAMATO Award

『Durian Trees』CHEUN Shi Chin
Taiwan/2023/26min/実书/ Taiwan I-SHOU University

Synopsis: Enter the world of an elderly farmer who wages a fierce battle against the Malaysian government to protect his beloved durian orchard. This heartwarming story showcases his courage and resilience as he stands up for what is right.

Executive Committee Award

“Fresh” by LEE Euntaek,
South Korea/2023/14min/Live-action/The University of Suwon

Synopsis: A hungry homeless man living in an abandoned model house finds a refrigerator with strange powers. Realizing the power of the refrigerator, the homeless man begins to turn rotten food into fresh food.

Title	director	Information
『Hellscape』	Alixe DEVAUX, Camille LEROUX, Félicia POGGI, Clémence LACOUME, Lara BRIÈRE, Valentine WILKE	Supinfocom Rubika France/2022/6min/Animation
『The Crooker Lovers』	Thanachanok PADUNGCHAIPOOMTHAI	Mahidol University International College/Thailand/2023/16min/Live-action
『Lost in Count』	GONG Bochen	Beijing Film AcademyChina /2022/30min/Live-action
『Between Us』	YANG Ji-won	Kookmin UniversityKorea /2023/24min/Live-action
『EX MACHINA』	PARK Jongwoo	Korea National University of Arts/Korea/2023/36min/Live-action
『DOCOOK』	Habe Kukai	Musashino Art University Japan/2023/4min/Animation
『Returning South』	Sofia AYALA	German Film and Television AcademyGermany /2022/15min/Live-action
『Hell-World Judge』	GUAN Lichen	Dongguk UniversityKorea /2023/38min/Live-action
“Applause”	Takumi Hirao	Kyoto Seika University Japan / 2023 / 34min / Live action
『SEWING LOVE』	XU Yuan	Tama Art University Japan/2023/8min/Animation

Pre-events and collaborative projects

[Pre-event]

“Bloody Horror Screening – A Night of Terror at a Kyoto Temple”

Date: Saturday, December 9, 2023
Venue: Chojuzan Honshoji Temple
Content: We welcomed film director Takashi Shimizu and strange collector Hirokatsu Kihara as guests, and screened “Noise,” a work selected for the 20th film festival, as well as “Ju-on” directed by guest Takashi Shimizu and “Kaidan Shin Mimibukuro Sugatami,” based on the original work by Hirokatsu Kihara. After the screening, we held a talk show with the two guests on the theme of the films screened. The survey results were also well received, and it was an opportunity to get people interested in the Kyoto International Student Film Festival.

[Collaboration project]

Last year’s Grand Prix winner will be screened at the Kyoto International Film Festival 2023

Date: Friday, October 13, 2023
Venue: Kyoto International
Manga Museum Content: Lunchbox, the Grand Prix winner of the 25th Kyoto International Student Film Festival, was screened at the Kyoto International Film Festival 2023, held at the Kyoto International Manga Museum. After the screening, members of the executive committee took to the stage and, with Garage Sale as MC, had a lively discussion about the film Lunchbox, their favorite films, and the appeal of the film festival.

Tokyo Student Film Festival x Kyoto International Student Film Festival Collaboration Project

Date: Sunday, December 10, 2023
Venue: Monnaka Gacchan’s CAFE & SPACE
Participating Executive Committee Members: 1
Content: Last year’s Kyoto International Student Film Festival Grand Prix winner, “Lunchbox,” was screened at the “Tokyo Student Film Festival Screening in Monnaka Gacchan’s Theater.” After the screening, a talk session was held with the executive committee of the Tokyo Student Film Festival on the theme of “student films.”

Last year’s selected work will be screened at the film screening project SHINPA Vol.16

Date: Saturday, December 23, 2023
Venue: Shibuya Loft9
Content: At “SHINPA vol.16,” last year’s Kyoto International Student Film Festival selected work “Identibye” directed by Sajad Shahtamy was screened. After the screening, the executive committee took to the stage to promote the appeal of the 26th Kyoto International Student Film Festival.

Kyoto University Hospital Video Distribution

Continuing from last year, we collaborated with Kyoto University Hospital to distribute past award-winning works to monitors at each hospital bed of hospitalized patients.

Special website

@kisfvf	official website

Executive Committee

The Kyoto International Film Festival is looking for students who can help make the festival a success.
You can learn the know-how of running a film festival from a series of activities such as soliciting works, judging, public relations activities, and requesting sponsorship.
Please feel free to contact us.

Location	Campus Plaza Kyoto (6th floor office, 5th floor common research lab, online)
Frequency of activity	Meetings about once a week (also online) General meetings about once a month (face-to-face) Planning and review committee meetings about five times a year Training sessions about three times a year
Attending University	Kyoto University, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto University of Foreign Studies, Kyoto Sangyo University, Kyoto Women ‘s University, Kyoto Institute of Graduate Studies for Informatics, Kyoto University of Art and Design, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Saga University of Arts, Doshisha University, Doshisha Women’s College of Liberal Arts, Bukkyo University, Ritsumeikan University, Ryukoku University, Osaka University, Kobe University, Akita International University, etc.
Organizer	The Consortium of Universities, Kyoto

inquiry

Kyoto International Student Film Festival
Address: Campus Plaza Kyoto, Nishinotoin-dori Shiokoji-sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8216
TEL: 075-353-9189 (Tuesday to Saturday 9:00 to 17:00) FAX: 075-353-9101
E-MAIL: info-kisfvf-ml■consortium.or.jp (replace ■ with @)
Website: https://www.kisfvf.com/