SSFF & ASIA 2026 Award Ceremony: Jiin O's 'Speedy!' Wins Grand Prix

The Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA) 2026, one of Asia's largest international short film festivals recognized by the Academy Awards, held its award ceremony and red carpet event at LINE CUBE SHIBUYA on Wednesday, June 10. From 4,921 submissions representing 114 countries and regions, the ceremony announced and presented a total of 12 awards. These included the Best Short Awards in the Live Action (International, Asia International, and Japan), Non-fiction, and Animation categories, from which five films will be recommended for next year's Academy Awards in the short film category. This year saw the inaugural Tom Yoda Next Frame Award and its first recipient. The event was packed with announcements, including winners of the CyberAgent Vertical Award, the Most Earthquake Award supported by CRG, the U-25 Project Best Short Award, the Shibuya Diversity Award, and the Hoppy Happy Award. A new initiative, the 'Short Drama Project Contest,' launched in collaboration with Nihon Chokuhan, was also announced.

The red carpet, concluding this year's festival, welcomed ceremony presenters and VIP guests, including actors Kazuki Kitamura, Miki Mizuno, Akihiro Nishino, and Ayaka Wada.

Ceremony Kickoff with Festival Ambassador LiLiCo and Representative Tetsuya Bessho The ceremony began with appearances by festival representative Tetsuya Bessho and ambassador LiLiCo. Bessho expressed his gratitude, stating, 'Today, even the third-floor seats are sold out. Thank you to everyone for coming; we have creators from 21 countries and regions here. Thank you for participating!' LiLiCo shared her joy, appearing in an elegant Thai silk kimono paired with an obi from her mother-in-law: 'For over 20 years, I've gradually immersed myself deeply into the world of short films. Today, I want to liven up the venue wearing this outfit!' The glamorous ceremony had officially begun.

Announcement of 12 Awards, Including the Grand Prix! ● Top Honor, the George Lucas Award, Goes to 'Speedy!' by Jiin O This year's Grand Prix was awarded to Jiin O for 'Speedy!' in the Live Action Asia International category. Presenting the trophy, Bessho commented, 'It is a wonderful work where various elements, such as the editing rhythm capturing a difficult era and the narrative, overlap perfectly. It is entertainment that portrays unpredictability beautifully and amusingly.' Director Jiin O expressed her joy with a beaming smile: 'I never dreamed of receiving such an award. This film is about an Asian girl learning speed reading, but I wanted to depict how such learning systems sometimes fail to function socially. I will take this "heavy" trophy home!'

● Live Action, Non-fiction, and Animation Categories Announced Official jury members, including Kazuki Kitamura, Miki Mizuno, Ayaka Wada, director Yuya Ishii, Chieko Murata, Christine Chi, Ryan Ashore, and Yusuke Hirota, presented the awards. The Best Short in Live Action International went to 'The Third' by Fridtjof Josefsen and Morten Borgestad. 'Speedy!' by Jiin O won Live Action Asia International, while 'Mawari Mawaru' by Hayato Otoki won Live Action Japan. The Non-fiction winner was '3 Piano Tuners' by Paweł Piotr Hozer, and the Animation award went to 'Shari, Laika and Mixtape' by Kiana Naghshineh.

Director Ishii shared his perspective as a creator: 'Making things, regardless of the format, is difficult. Knowing that put a lot of pressure on me, but I was also encouraged. All the works made me feel that dedicating one's life to filmmaking is worthwhile.' Kitamura added, 'It wasn't about which country; it made me want to join forces as a "filmmaker." At times, I seriously wondered why I accepted being a judge. In the end, I chose works that made me want to work with them professionally.' Mizuno recounted her meaningful experience: 'Many non-fiction works dug deep into themes capturing the director's perspective, allowing me to see worlds visible only through those people and works. I want to send my respect and gratitude for their passion and effort.' Wada commented, 'Many works had strong artistic elements. Those utilizing rich, original colors, characters, and story expressions felt like traveling the world and seeing various landscapes.'

● Presentation of the TOKYO PROJECT Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike took the stage, stating, 'The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has supported this for 23 years. Recently, I announced the "Cinematic Tokyo" category winners at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. Short films have impressive scenes that stick in your mind, and I think they are wonderful art. I sincerely hope this festival serves as a springboard for many talented creators to take off from Tokyo to the world.'

Following this, the short film 'Voices from Beyond,' born from the 'Generative Tokyo Project' launched by Tokyo and the film festival, was introduced. Director Tetsuaki Nogami and cast members Kohei Shoji, Keiko Egami (Niche), Yukio Ueno (Dennis), Yota Kawase, and Sumi Anno appeared. Nogami explained his dedication: 'This is a fleeting and beautiful story. While filming, I thought about how the city of Tokyo itself possesses fragility and beauty, and how to express that.' Lead actor Shoji smiled, saying, 'It's a story that might have felt like sci-fi 10 years ago, but in 2026, it feels familiar.' 'Voices from Beyond' is currently available worldwide on the official SSFF & ASIA YouTube channel.