With the support from Tokyo Metropolitan Government, TIFF is pleased to launch a new showcase section this year: Asian Students’ Film Conference.
This competition features under-60-minute films recommended by film schools across Asia, including titles awarded at Cannes and other festivals. The shortlisted live-action and animated films redefine the conventional image of student films. The narratives presented by emerging talents from diverse countries vividly capture contemporary societal and cultural landscapes, offering a fresh perspective and novel insights.
We hope you enjoy these 15 films showcasing emerging Asian talent during TIFF.
 

→ Program 1  → Program 2  → Program 3

 
Program 1 → Schedule & Ticket

 
Ready! Serve! Smash!

Director: Wang Hao-tai (National Taiwan University of Arts)
Born in Hsinchu, Taiwan in 1995. After leaving advertising production, he earned an MFA in Motion Picture at NTUA. He now focuses on film directing.

 
→ Trailer
 
Bowl Meets Girl

Director: Seki Shunta (Nihon University College of Art)
Born in Niigata, Japan. Graduated from the Department of Cinema, Nihon University College of Art in 2024. His latest short, Sonic Beat (2025), will be released from Toho GEMSTONE label .

→ Trailer
 
Hallelujah I’m Alive

Director: Hou Zhuyuan (Shanghai Film Academy)
Born in Shanghai, China in 1992. Director shortlisted for Cannes Film Festival. Holds an MFA from Shanghai Theatre Academy and a dual degree in Social Performance from University of Bergen.

→ Trailer
 
Jumah

 Directors: Liu Qinglin, Ye Hanling (Communication University of China)
Liu Qinglin: Born in Zhengzhou, China in 2004. An undergraduate at the Communication University of China.
Ye Hanling: Born in Ningbo, China in 2002. Currently pursuing an MA in Photography at the University of the Arts London.

→ Trailer

 
Floating

Director: Lee Ji-yun (Korean Academy of Film Arts)
Born in Seoul, Korea in 1994. Graduated from the Barnard College of Columbia University in 2017 and the Korean Academy of Film Arts (Directing Major) in 2025.

 
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Director: Jung Hye-in (Korean Academy of Film Arts)
Born in Seoul, Korea in 1995. Graduated from Yonsei University (History major) in 2021 and graduated from the Korean Academy of Film Arts (Directing major) in 2025.

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The Melancholy of a Brass Player for Brass Quintet

Director: Furuya Daichi (Nihon University College of Art)
Graduated from Nihon University. Produced independent films while in school. Made his debut as a film editor on Sonic Beat (2025) directed by Seki Shunta.

 
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12 Moments Before the Flag-Raising Ceremony

Director: Qu Zhizheng (Beijing Film Academy)
Born in Beijing, China in 2001. His Beijing Film Academy graduation work,12 Moments Before the Flag-Raising Ceremony, was selected for the Cannes’ La Cinef section in 2025.

 
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Forever and a Day

Director: Chen Li-Hsuan (National Taiwan University of Arts)
Born in Yilan, Taiwan in 2001. A graduate of the Department of Motion Picture at National Taiwan University of Arts, with a focus on directing and cinematography.

 
→ Trailer
 
Backpike

Director: Kim Eun-seo (Korean Academy of Film Arts)
Born in Jeju, Korea in 1999. Graduated from the Department of Film and Digital Media at Seokyeong University in 2023 and the Korean Academy of Film Arts (Directing major) in 2025.

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Director: Endo Arisa (Tokyo Zokei University)
Born in Fukushima, Japan. While gaining on-set experience as a camera assistant, Endo also creates her own works.

 
 
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August in Blue

Director: Ehara Henry (Tokyo University of the Arts)
Born in Kanagawa, Japan in 1996. Ehara’s work emphasizes bodily expression in film, exploring the physicality of movement and presence.

 
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Indigestion

Director: Han Hyeon-ji (Korean Academy of Film Arts)
Born in Pohang, Korea in 2000. Graduated from the School of Animation, Chungkang College of Cultural Industries and the Korean Academy of Film Arts (Animation major).

→ Trailer
 
 
Round Table Dilemma

Director: Xiao Hanzhi (Beijing Film Academy)
Born in Beijing, China in 1999. Graduated from Beijing Film Academy with a bachelor’s degree in Advertising Directing and a master’s degree in Animation Creation.

 
→ Trailer
 
Bun Thang

Director: Nguyen Thi Minh Khue (Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema)
Born in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2002, Khue’s previous work Out of Axima won the Third Prize at the Green Screen Short Film Contest 2022.

 
→ Trailer
 

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