SSFF & ASIA 2026: Hirona Nagahama from 'Cho-Judai' Appointed as Film Festival Navigator to Introduce Short Films to Gen Z

The Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA), one of the largest international short film festivals in Asia and an Academy Award-accredited event, has announced a collaboration and alliance agreement with 'Cho-Judai,' an experiential festival event that brings to life the aspirations of teenagers. The announcement was made at the 'Cho-Judai 2026' event held on March 31.

Alongside SSFF & ASIA representative Tetsuya Bessho, Hirona Nagahama (seju), who enjoys overwhelming popularity among the younger generation, appeared on stage as a film festival navigator. Revealing her love for movies, she said, 'I always get excited watching romance movies,' and expressed her ambition to become an actress. Bessho responded with high expectations, saying, 'I hope you will appear in a short film.'

Regarding her appointment as a navigator, Nagahama enthusiastically stated, 'Walking the red carpet at SSFF & ASIA—it's like being in Hollywood!'

In addition to Nagahama, several other members from Cho-Judai are scheduled to participate as navigators. They will leverage their unique personalities to appear at festival venues and ceremonies, introducing the charm of short films and how to enjoy the festival.

<About Cho-Judai> Cho-Judai is a company that connects the 'Gen Z' generation—the center of the new digital era—with businesses and society. They achieve results in marketing, communication, and product development using the unique sensibilities of Gen Z. The 'Cho-Judai -ULTRA TEENS FES-,' which began in 2016, is a hybrid real and digital experiential festival for teens, gathering models, YouTubers, TikTokers, artists, and athletes to create a special day together. URL: https://event.chojudai.com/

<Hirona Nagahama> Affiliation: seju Age: 17 TikTok: 1 million followers Instagram: 546,000 followers X: 54,000 followers

[SSFF & ASIA 2026 Overview] Representative: Tetsuya Bessho Dates: Opening Ceremony May 25 (Mon); Tokyo Venue May 26 (Tue) - June 9 (Tue); Award Ceremony June 10 (Wed). Online venue: May 25 (Mon) - June 30 (Tue). Venues: MoN Takanawa, Akasaka Intercity Conference, Euro Live, WITH HARAJUKU, etc. Tickets: Paid for both physical and online venues; some events are free. Sales start April 23 (Thu) at 14:00. Official Website: https://www.shortshorts.org/2026