{"id":1198,"date":"2026-08-05T13:37:31","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T04:37:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imageforumfestival.com\/2026\/?page_id=1198"},"modified":"2026-08-11T10:45:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T01:45:14","slug":"gaiyo","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.imageforumfestival.com\/2026\/en\/bosyu\/gaiyo\/","title":{"rendered":"Application"},"content":{"rendered":"

Announcement of the Works Nominated for the \u201cEast Asian Experimental Competition\u201d and Selected for \u201cJapan Experimental\u201d<\/h2>\n

The East Asian Experimental Competition received a total of 585 submissions from Japan, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and South Korea. Following two carefully conducted rounds of screening, 20 works were nominated for the competition, and an additional 5 works were selected for the new Japan Experimental section.
\nThese works will be screened at each venue of the 40th Image Forum Festival. The final evaluation will be conducted during the screenings at the Tokyo venue by the final jurors and 6 of them will be awarded prizes.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

The 20 works nominated for the \u201cEast Asian Experimental Competition\u201d<\/h3>\n
\n
\n
\"Amateur<\/div>\n

Amateur in the Moon<\/big>
\nHUANG Pang-chuan + LIN Chunni \/ digital \/ 22min \/ 2025 (Taiwan \/ Japan)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Blue<\/div>\n

Blue Flow<\/big>
\nSHEN Linzi \/ digital \/ 21min \/ 2026 (Mainland China)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Boss<\/div>\n

Boss of Green<\/big>
\nOBITANI Yuri \/ digital \/ 30min \/ 2026 (Japan)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Compact<\/div>\n

Compact Disc<\/big>
\nRico WONG \/ digital \/ 39min \/ 2026 (Hong Kong \/ UK)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Creep<\/div>\n

Creep Beneath the Earth<\/big>
\nYAMADA Sanae \/ digital \/ 34min \/ 2026 (Japan)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Fly<\/div>\n

Fly Train<\/big>
\nRia ZHANG Riwen \/ digital \/ 4min \/ 2025 (Mainland China \/ Hong Kong)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Korea\u2019s<\/div>\n

Korea\u2019s Funniest Home Videos<\/big>
\nKIM Guki \/ digital \/ 15min \/ 2025 (South Korea)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Liquor\"<\/div>\n

Liquor<\/big>
\nYi-Chen HUANG \/ digital \/ 5min \/ 2025 (Taiwan \/ Germany)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"little<\/div>\n

little boarlet<\/big>
\nWADA Atsushi \/ digital \/ 4min \/ 2026 (Japan)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Mwah<\/div>\n

Mwah to My New House!<\/big>
\nYUKI Yoko \/ digital \/ 11min \/ 2025 (Japan)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Oh,<\/div>\n

Oh, Valentine<\/big>
\nHONG Jin-hwon \/ digital \/ 92min \/ 2025 (South Korea)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Recording\"<\/div>\n

Recording<\/big>
\nZHANG Moying \/ digital \/ 12min \/ 2026 (Mainland China)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Redland<\/div>\n

Redland Hooves<\/big>
\nKaiwen REN \/ digital \/ 27min \/ 2025 (Mainland China)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Singing<\/div>\n

Singing of the Evening Stars<\/big>
\nIris SANG \/ digital \/ 23min \/ 2026 (Mainland China)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Thus<\/div>\n

Thus Spoke Chatergil Potter<\/big>
\nTING Chi-wen \/ digital \/ 22min \/ 2026 (Taiwan)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Well-Intentioned\"<\/div>\n

Well-Intentioned<\/big>
\nCHIEN Man-Chun \/ digital \/ 30min \/ 2025 (Taiwan)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Where<\/div>\n

Where Clouds Once Formed<\/big>
\nSU Yu Hsin \/ digital \/ 14min \/ 2025 (Taiwan)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Wind<\/div>\n

Wind Gap<\/big>
\nZHENG LU Xinyuan \/ digital \/ 30min \/ 2026 (Mainland China)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Xiaogao<\/div>\n

Xiaogao gonna die LONELY<\/big>
\nIsabelle GAO \/ digital \/ 8min \/ 2025 (Mainland China)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"\u8d70<\/div>\n

\u8d70 (z\u01d2u)<\/big>
\nHannah WU \/ digital \/ 4min \/ 2025 (Taiwan \/ UK)\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

The five works selected for the \u201cJapan Experimental\u201d section<\/h3>\n
\n
\n
\"feeling<\/div>\n

feeling together<\/big>
\nfukudapero \/ digital \/ 25min \/ 2026 (Japan \/ Rwanda)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"My<\/div>\n

My Winter Berry<\/big>
\nTAKEHARA Yu \/ digital \/ 9min \/ 2026 (Japan)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Our<\/div>\n

Our Times<\/big>
\nSONE Sora \/ digital \/ 10min \/ 2026 (Japan)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Sleeping<\/div>\n

Sleeping Eyes<\/big>
\nMIYAKAWA Takuya \/ digital \/ 12min \/ 2026 (Japan)\n<\/div>\n

\n
\"Teteu\"<\/div>\n

Teteu<\/big>
\nISOBE Kazuya \/ digital \/ 53min \/ 2026 (Japan)\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u203bTitle \/ Director \/ Format \/ Duration \/ Year (Director\u2019s region of birth \/ current region of residence)<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

What is the Image Forum Festival\u2019s \u201cEast Asian Experimental Competition\u201d?<\/h2>\n

The Image Forum Festival is a festival of moving image art that brings together for screening works with a high degree of expression, artistry, and creativity. A successor to \u201cNew Works of Underground Cinema\u201d (1973-1975) and \u201cExperimental Film Festival\u201d (1981-1985), this festival, which expanded to include more international content and an open competition section, began in 1987 and is being held for the 40th time this year.
\nThe festival\u2019s open competition section has come to be known as a gateway to success for groundbreaking young filmmakers in Japan, and in previous years has featured works by filmmakers and artists who have gone on to international success such as YAMAMURA Koji, KAWASE Naomi, IGUCHI Noboru, ISHIDA Takashi, and WADA Atsushi. Last year we have expanded this section (formerly known as the \u201cJapan Tomorrow\u201d section) that had been restricted to Japanese works and relaunched it as the \u201cEast Asian Experimental Competition.\u201d
\nStarting this year, we are establishing a new \u201cJapan Experimental\u201d section under the main competition to highlight the expanded potential of the Japanese experimental film scene.<\/p>\n

Previous year : 39th Image Forum Festival<\/a><\/span>
\nPrevious year : The awarded films and Jury comments<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u3000<\/div>\n

What does it mean to be nominated?<\/h2>\n

The (approximately 25) works that make it through the first and second rounds of selection will be screened at this year’s festival along as works nominated for prizes. The final selection will begin when the festival opens and the six winners of the following prizes and audience choice prize will be announced at the Award Ceremony.
\n 
\n\u3000\u25cfGrand Prize (1): \uffe5300,000 + Prize certificate
\n\u3000\u25cfTERAYAMA Shuji Prize (1): \uffe5100,000 + Prize certificate
\n\u3000\u25cfExcellence Prize (3): \uffe530,000 + Prize certificate
\n\u3000\u25cfJapan Experimental Prize (1): \uffe530,000 + Prize certificate
\n\u3000\u30fb\u30fb\u30fbFrom among the Japanese works that pass the first and second rounds of selection for the East Asia Experimental Competition, selected films exploring new forms of moving-image expression will be selected and screened in the festival\u2019s \u201cJapan Experimental\u201d program. One work will receive an award.
\n 
\nNominated works will not only be recommended to various film festivals in Japan and overseas, but Image Forum also have been curating selected programs from recent nominated works for the film festivals and institutions overseas, includes;<\/p>\n

 
\n– Moscow International Experimental Film Festival (Moscow, Russia)
\n– Guangdong Times Museum (Guangdong, China)
\n– Asia Culture Center (Kwangju, Korea)
\n– EXiS (Seoul, Korea)
\n– Jumping Frames \u2014 Hong Kong International Movement-image Festival (Hong Kong)
\n– South Taiwan Film Festival (Taiwan)
\n– Bali International Short Film Festival MINIKINO FILM WEEK (Bali, Indonesia)
\n– Wathann Film Festival (Yangon, Myanmar)
\n– SeaShorts Film Festival (Penan, Malaysia)
\n– Thai Short Film & Video Festival (Bangkok, Thai)
\n– Ann Arbor Film Festival (Michigan, USA)
\n– Binghamton University (New York, USA)
\n– California Institute of the Arts (California, USA)
\n– Festival Acc\u00e8s Asie (Montreal, Canada)
\n– Vancouver Film Festival (Vancouver, Canada)
\n– CINEMATEK, The Royal Film Archive of Belgium (Brussels, Belgium)
\n– International Film Festival Rotterdam (Rotterdam, The Netherland)
\n– Student City Cultural Center (Belgrade, Serbia)<\/p>\n

\u3000<\/div>\n

Final evaluation jury<\/h2>\n
\n

\nORIKASA Ryo<\/big>
\n\uff08animation filmmaker\uff0fJapan\uff09<\/small><\/div>\n

\nHIGUCHI Yasuhito<\/big>
\n\uff08film critic\uff0fJapan\uff09<\/small><\/div>\n

\nMarie LOSIER<\/big>
\n\uff08filmmaker, curator\uff0fFrance\uff09<\/small><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\u3000<\/div>\n

Schedule\u30fbOutline<\/h2>\n

40th Image Forum Festival
\n 
\n\u25a0Venue, Date\uff1a
\n\u30fbTokyo: September 19th ( Sat ) to September 25th ( Fri ), 2026 \/ Theatre Image Forum
\n\u30fbOther cities: TBA
\n 
\n \u25a0Main Program\uff1a
\nEast Asian Experimental Film Competition
\nExperimental Panorama
\nFilmmakers In Focus
\n 
\n\u25a0Organizer\uff1a
\nImage Forum<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Announcement of the Works Nominated for the \u201cEast Asian Experimental Competition\u201d and Selected for \u201cJapan Experimental\u201d The East Asian Experimental Competition received a total of 585 submissions from Japan, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and South Korea. Following two carefully conducted rounds of screening, 20 works were nominated for the competition, and an additional 5 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1048,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"bosyu-gaiyo.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"https:\/\/www.imageforumfestival.com\/2026\/?page_id=1186","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1198","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","en-US"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-09-02 03:13:35","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imageforumfestival.com\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1198","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imageforumfestival.com\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imageforumfestival.com\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imageforumfestival.com\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imageforumfestival.com\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1198"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.imageforumfestival.com\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1198\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1200,"href":"https:\/\/www.imageforumfestival.com\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1198\/revisions\/1200"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.imageforumfestival.com\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1048"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.imageforumfestival.com\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1198"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}