The Embassy of Japan in Rabat organised, from 1 to 3 March, a series of short film screenings on the occasion of the celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Kingdom and the Land of the Rising Sun.
On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Morocco and Japan, the Embassy of Japan in Rabat organised, from 1 to 3 March, a series of short film screenings from the Land of the Rising Sun, in which filmmakers, journalists, men and women of culture, and many young film buffs took part.
During these three days, the film-loving public was able to discover a Japanese cinema of today, both poetic and realistic. The fascinating images invite us to discover a Japanese universe harmoniously combining tradition and modernity.
In this sense, film buffs in the capital were able to discover the multiple facets of history and the richness of Japanese culture, through 4 short films of varied styles, directed by young Japanese filmmakers: "Shabu-Shabu Spirit" by Yuki Saito, "A Warm Spell" by Toshimichi Saito, "Oh Lucy!" by Atsuko Hirayanagi, and "Kerama Blue" by Tsukasa Kishimoto. These films are in the original version with English subtitles.
During the inaugural session of this cinematographic event held on the theme "Discovering Japan through short films", the director of the "Short Shorts Film Festival and Asia" Seigo Tono revealed that short films have experienced considerable growth in his country with the arrival of new technologies and the use of smartphones and tablets. He also stressed that cinema, notably the short film, contributes largely to the cultural promotion of Japan and constitutes a form of artistic expression that is most in vogue currently in Japan. In this regard, several public and private organisations and institutions, in addition to the parties concerned, contribute to the financing of the films.
One of the short films screened, "Shabu-Shabu Spirit" by Yuki Saito, was directed within the framework of the "Project for presenting the attractions of Japanese gastronomic and food culture". It was financed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan. This film was screened in several countries, notably in Italy on the occasion of the Milan Universal Exhibition in 2015. "Shabu-Shabu Spirit" plunges us into the culinary universe of Japan through a story of marriage. It should be noted that "Short Shorts Film Festival and Asia", partner of this cinematographic event, is one of the main actors in the promotion of the seventh art in Japan. It organises annually, in the month of June, a large short film festival.
More than 5,000 short films from nearly 120 countries are screened in this festival which will celebrate its eighteenth edition this year. Given the central place it occupies in the Asian cinematographic landscape, the "Short Shorts Film Festival and Asia" in Tokyo has been officially recognised by the Academy of Motion Picture, Arts and Sciences, as a festival qualified for the presentation of films in the short film category to the annual official competition of the Academy Awards.
