Two Films by Directors from Pump Inc. Selected for Official Screening at SSFF & ASIA 2026, an Academy Award-Accredited International Short Film Festival
Two short films directed by in-house directors of Pump Inc. have been selected for the Live Action category of the Academy Award-accredited "Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA) 2026" and will be officially screened. This production is part of their R&D efforts aimed at improving the quality of client work.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 28, 2026 at 00:58
- 🔍 Collected: April 27, 2026 at 16:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 27, 2026 at 17:41 (1h 9m after Collected)
Pump Inc., headquartered in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, and represented by Yu Sanbongsuga and Seiji Kobune, which develops business problem-solving through video production as a close partner to clients, announces that two short films directed by its affiliated video directors have been selected for the Live Action category of the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA) 2026, an Academy Award-accredited and one of Asia's largest international short film festivals, and will be officially screened.
■ A Narrow Gate with Thousands of Competitors
SSFF & ASIA is a world-renowned international short film festival that receives approximately 5,000 submissions from around the globe. The Grand Prix (George Lucas Award) and the Best Short Film Awards in the Live Action (International, Asia, Japan), Non-Fiction, and Animation categories qualify their recipients for consideration for nomination in the following year's Academy Awards Short Film categories.
【Summary of Screened Works】
Film Title: 『Suss-pense Without a Cliff』
Director: Yu Sanbongsuga
Synopsis: Yamada, who works in the public relations department of a certain city in Gunma Prefecture, tries to film a local PR video in the style of a Tuesday Suspense drama. However, his plan is rejected with comments like "No blood or murder" and "There are no cliffs." Amidst this, Yamada begins to tell "lies" unique to filmmaking. This is a comical yet poignant record of a filming set, featuring a father obsessed with suspense and his indifferent daughter.
Starring: Morihiro Yamaguchi, Kino Adachi
Production: pump Inc.
Film Title: 『Unknown』
Director: Nanase Nakamura
Synopsis: Yusuke and his younger sister Misa, who lost their home due to their parents' debt, were playing in a secret base with their childhood friend Kazuya, the only one they could trust. Upon unexpectedly discovering 6 million yen in an abandoned building, the relationship between the three, who grew up in the same environment, begins to fray.
Cast: Masaharu Hori, Yusei Ando, Meaya Kikuchi, Yukihiro Nishiyama, Yuri Mori
Production: pump Inc.
■ Creator Comments
Yu Sanbongsuga:
First and foremost, my deepest gratitude goes to all the cast and staff who were involved in this work. Without everyone who created this together, this result would not have been possible. And actually, this film was produced after applying to the Gunma Next Generation Video Creator Competition, and it is a very local film shot entirely in Gunma.
I had a hypothesis that even if the setting is local, if the subject matter is universal, it could become an expression that transcends national borders.
This selection makes me genuinely happy, as it feels like it has shown that my hypothesis was not wrong.
Universality that can reach someone somewhere in the world can reside within local themes. I intend to continue proving this through video in the future.
Nanase Nakamura:
After my project was selected for the Gunma Next Generation Video Creator Competition, it became my first short film production in about 10 years.
I confronted the script and film direction, thinking about what I wanted to question through film and how to express it, and I am sincerely happy that it was also selected for SSFF & ASIA 2026.
The experience of working together with the staff involved this time to form a good team and complete the work is a fond memory, and it has also motivated me to create many more works in the future.
The most difficult part of this work, depicting the subtle emotions of three boys and girls, was wonderfully realized by each of the cast members through their excellent acting.
I produced this film hoping it would become an opportunity for both adults and children to reflect on what actions they would take if they were in this position. Please take this opportunity to watch it.
■ Screening Overview
『Suss-pense Without a Cliff』
【In-person】Screening Venue: WITH HARAJUKU HALL 2026.06.06 [Sat] 13:00-14:50
【Online】Online Grand Theater 2026.06.11 [Thu] - 2026.06.30 [Tue]
For details, please refer to the official announcement below:
https://www.shortshorts.org/2026/program/who-needs-a-cliff/
『Unknown』
【In-person】Screening Venue: EuroLive 2026.06.04 [Thu] 13:00-14:50
【Online】Online Grand Theater 2026.06.11 [Thu] - 2026.06.30 [Tue]
For details, please refer to the official announcement below:
https://www.shortshorts.org/2026/program/unknown/
■ Original film production is "R&D (Research and Development)" to enhance the quality of client work.
The main business of Pump Inc. aims to solve corporate problems...
■ A Narrow Gate with Thousands of Competitors
SSFF & ASIA is a world-renowned international short film festival that receives approximately 5,000 submissions from around the globe. The Grand Prix (George Lucas Award) and the Best Short Film Awards in the Live Action (International, Asia, Japan), Non-Fiction, and Animation categories qualify their recipients for consideration for nomination in the following year's Academy Awards Short Film categories.
【Summary of Screened Works】
Film Title: 『Suss-pense Without a Cliff』
Director: Yu Sanbongsuga
Synopsis: Yamada, who works in the public relations department of a certain city in Gunma Prefecture, tries to film a local PR video in the style of a Tuesday Suspense drama. However, his plan is rejected with comments like "No blood or murder" and "There are no cliffs." Amidst this, Yamada begins to tell "lies" unique to filmmaking. This is a comical yet poignant record of a filming set, featuring a father obsessed with suspense and his indifferent daughter.
Starring: Morihiro Yamaguchi, Kino Adachi
Production: pump Inc.
Film Title: 『Unknown』
Director: Nanase Nakamura
Synopsis: Yusuke and his younger sister Misa, who lost their home due to their parents' debt, were playing in a secret base with their childhood friend Kazuya, the only one they could trust. Upon unexpectedly discovering 6 million yen in an abandoned building, the relationship between the three, who grew up in the same environment, begins to fray.
Cast: Masaharu Hori, Yusei Ando, Meaya Kikuchi, Yukihiro Nishiyama, Yuri Mori
Production: pump Inc.
■ Creator Comments
Yu Sanbongsuga:
First and foremost, my deepest gratitude goes to all the cast and staff who were involved in this work. Without everyone who created this together, this result would not have been possible. And actually, this film was produced after applying to the Gunma Next Generation Video Creator Competition, and it is a very local film shot entirely in Gunma.
I had a hypothesis that even if the setting is local, if the subject matter is universal, it could become an expression that transcends national borders.
This selection makes me genuinely happy, as it feels like it has shown that my hypothesis was not wrong.
Universality that can reach someone somewhere in the world can reside within local themes. I intend to continue proving this through video in the future.
Nanase Nakamura:
After my project was selected for the Gunma Next Generation Video Creator Competition, it became my first short film production in about 10 years.
I confronted the script and film direction, thinking about what I wanted to question through film and how to express it, and I am sincerely happy that it was also selected for SSFF & ASIA 2026.
The experience of working together with the staff involved this time to form a good team and complete the work is a fond memory, and it has also motivated me to create many more works in the future.
The most difficult part of this work, depicting the subtle emotions of three boys and girls, was wonderfully realized by each of the cast members through their excellent acting.
I produced this film hoping it would become an opportunity for both adults and children to reflect on what actions they would take if they were in this position. Please take this opportunity to watch it.
■ Screening Overview
『Suss-pense Without a Cliff』
【In-person】Screening Venue: WITH HARAJUKU HALL 2026.06.06 [Sat] 13:00-14:50
【Online】Online Grand Theater 2026.06.11 [Thu] - 2026.06.30 [Tue]
For details, please refer to the official announcement below:
https://www.shortshorts.org/2026/program/who-needs-a-cliff/
『Unknown』
【In-person】Screening Venue: EuroLive 2026.06.04 [Thu] 13:00-14:50
【Online】Online Grand Theater 2026.06.11 [Thu] - 2026.06.30 [Tue]
For details, please refer to the official announcement below:
https://www.shortshorts.org/2026/program/unknown/
■ Original film production is "R&D (Research and Development)" to enhance the quality of client work.
The main business of Pump Inc. aims to solve corporate problems...