Japanese

Route 29

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A lonely 30-something cleaner, who struggles with even basic communication, unwittingly kidnaps a young girl to reunite her with her mother. As they traverse the picturesque Route 29 across Western Japan, the two misfits start to forge a bond, learning about human connection from the many strangers—surreal, wacky, and wise—they chance upon along the way. Moments of darkness and light dapple the path of this bittersweet yet hopeful sojourn.

The Frog and the Water

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Buschi’s daily routine in an assisted living facility leaves no room for surprises. Seeking change, he seizes the chance to leave a group outing behind and joins a Japanese tour traveling through Germany. Having lived his entire life without speaking, Buschi forms a wordless friendship with Hideo—a man on a journey of his own—and the two create a bond that transcends language as they embark on an unexpected adventure.
A man stands in a bright space, holding a large white flower with a pink pot. Other flowers sit in the corner to his right.

Brand New Landscape

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In Tokyo's dynamic cityscape, two siblings reckon with the absence of their mother and the return of their estranged father, a renowned architect.
A young man wearing an eyepatch stands in a doorway facing outside, with his arm reaching out and a sad expression.

Nervous Energy

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Two fiercely ambitious aspiring filmmakers make a pact to break up with their boyfriends to free them up for the next phase of their careers. This hilarious take on the romanticizing of prestigious filmmakers and the desperate passion of aspiring artists is explosive, rambunctious, and delightfully surprising.

This film screens as part of Shorts Program 5: Comedy.[…]

Shorts 5: Comedy

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Laugh away the woes of the world with this eclectic collection of comedies. From the absurd anxieties of wannabe filmmakers to the ridiculous delusions of the recently dumped, these stories are insightful, unexpected, and delightfully irreverent.
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