Takeshi Kushida was one of the first
directors to take part in ADFEST’s Fabulous Four competition 10 years ago in
2008 – the year that ADFEST first launched this renowned short film
competition.
At the time, Kushida was just beginning his
career as a director at Pyramid Film Inc. in Tokyo.
Ten years on, we’re delighted to say that
he’s still working at Pyramid Film, and his latest short film, "VOICE(KOE)",
is taking the world by storm. This year, it won Best Screenplay at the
Bangalore Shorts Film Festival, Best Director at the Kohan Film Festival, and
Best Art Director at the Canberra Short Film Festival.
VOICE(KOE) is a ‘speechless’ film and it
tells the tale of a man so lonely he falls in love with a shadow – you can
watch the trailer here.
ADFEST has just relaunched ‘Fabulous Four’
as ‘Fabulous Five’, giving five emerging directors the chance to premiere their
short films at ADFEST 2019, which runs from 20th March to 23rd March.
We asked Kushida to reflect on his
experience of being one of the first ever Fabulous Four directors.
Fabulous Four launched in 2008, and you were one of the first 4 directors to take part. What did you learn from the competition?
I learned to hear international critical
judgment and opinions about my film.
Has Fabulous Four helped your career – did it open any doors for you?
Yes, it did. It was very helpful to expose
my style to the industry.
Are you still working as a director today?
Yes. I work as Director at Pyramid Film in
Tokyo. At the moment, I’m working on some ad films and short films. My latest
short film, "VOICE(KOE)", has been shown on more than 50
International Film Festivals.
What advice do you have for young directors hoping to launch a career in film?
It is hard to get attention from the
industry when you are starting out in Japan. My advice is: "Apply to Fabulous
Four! Expose your style!"
Who or what is your favourite director or film?
My favourite director is Lars Von Trier. His
film "Breaking the waves"
is my favourite film.
* ADFEST is now welcoming short
film submissions from up-and-coming Directors and Assistant Directors based in
the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions as part of its 2019 ‘Fabulous Five’
program. To find out more about eligibility and script submissions click here or
contact Nat@ADFEST.com for details.
