More Shiver Than Buzz. ~Vertical Horror Night~ Announced! SSFF & ASIA 2026 Horror & Suspense Category "Most Shiver Award supported by CRG" Nominees Unveiled & Screened!

The Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA) 2026, accredited by the Academy Awards and one of Asia's largest international short film festivals, will hold "More Shiver Than Buzz. ~Vertical Horror Night~" on Sunday, June 7th, from 7:30 PM to 9:20 PM at WITH HARAJUKU HALL. URL https://www.shortshorts.org/2026/event/horror/ The newly established "Horror & Suspense" category, sponsored by CRG Inc. and open for domestic submissions from January to April, received 273 entries for "most terrifying" vertical shorts (30 to 180 seconds) via SNS. At this event, up to five creators of outstanding submitted works will be screened, announced, and honored: four "Monthly Theme Award" winners and one "Most Terrifying Award" winner for the common theme. At the film festival award ceremony on Monday, June 10th, the top prize, the "Most Shiver Award supported by CRG," will be selected from the five works, and the winners will be offered the possibility to work as SNS horror video creators at CRG, an agency that includes directors such as Shinzo Katayama, Eiji Uchida, and Koji Fukada. Guests attending the event include Yuzuki Hirakawa, a Reiwa tokusatsu heroine who has worked on Sentai and Kamen Rider series; Shinzo Katayama, a modern genius director recognized by Bong Joon-ho, who has pushed the boundaries of visual expression with "Sagasu" and "Gannibal"; Hayase Yasuhiro of Toshi Boys, a collector who leads the modern occult world with a love for strange phenomena and cursed objects; and Takashi Shinomiya, Representative Director and President of CRG Inc. They will explore the unique fear of vertical short horror films, especially their brevity of 30 to 180 seconds. Common Theme: "#HorrorHidingInEverydayLife" Monthly Themes: "#Nightmares", "#HorrorInLove", "#HorrorInFriendship", "#HorrorInWork" This award is presented by the creator agency CRG to a maximum of five winners (four Monthly Theme Award winners and one Common Theme Award winner) whose works possess a unique worldview, addictive storytelling that draws viewers in, and the most spine-chilling, supernatural horror. (Note: Up to five winners, or none if no suitable entries are found). ■ Date: Sunday, June 7, 2026, 7:30 PM – 9:20 PM ■ Venue: WITH HARAJUKU HALL ■ Content: Announcement and screening of awards, talk event ■ Guests: Yasuhiro Hayase (Toshi Boys / Collector of Cursed Objects), Shinzo Katayama (Film Director), Yuzuki Hirakawa (Actress), Takashi Shinomiya (Representative Director, CRG Inc.) ■ Tickets: [Advance] General 1,500 yen, University students / U29 / Seniors / Disabled discount 1,200 yen, Elementary / Junior high / High school students 1,000 yen, Under elementary school age free [Same-day] General 1,800 yen, University students / U29 / Seniors / Disabled discount 1,500 yen, Elementary / Junior high / High school students 1,300 yen, Under elementary school age free URL: https://www.shortshorts.org/2026/event/horror/ [Guest Speakers] Yasuhiro Hayase (Toshi Boys) Active as a strange phenomenon unit "Toshi Boys" with Seiya Kishimoto, a collector of cursed objects. He has lived in haunted properties for over 10 years and collects cursed objects. He appears in broadcasts, events, and media dealing with the occult. Winner of the Inagawa Junji Ghost Story Grand Prix in 2017 and 2019. Shinzo Katayama (Film Director) Born in 1981 in Osaka. After graduating from the film school led by Director Genji Nakamura, he participated as an assistant director in Bong Joon-ho's segment of the omnibus film "TOKYO!" (2008), Bong Joon-ho's "Mother" (09), Nobuhiro Yamashita's "My Back Page" (11), "The Drudgery Train" (12), and "Misono Universe" (15). His debut feature film "Siblings of the Cape" (19), for which he served as director, producer, screenwriter, and editor, won the Best Picture Award and Audience Award in the Domestic Competition at SKIP City International D-Cinema Festival 2018, and the New Director Award from the Japan Film Critics Association. It received high praise from many celebrities in various fields and achieved an unprecedented long run, marking a striking feature film debut. In 2022, his commercial feature film debut "Sagasu" was released, winning the Japan Film Directors Association New Director Award, the 47th Hochi Film Award for Best Director, and the 14th TAMA Film Award for Best Up-and-Coming Director. Furthermore, his participation as chief director in the Disney+ original drama "Gannibal" garnered significant attention, making it a pivotal year for him. In recent years, he has directed notable works such as "Desire in the Rain" (24) and the Netflix series "Gas Human" (26). Domestic and international film... (text truncated)