The theme for EuroAsia Shorts 2017 is Truth. We might wish the truth were always simple, but in reality it rarely is. Each of us must reconcile our public persona with our true self in private. How true are we with others in our daily lives? Does censorship foster truth, or hinder it? And when we fail to live up to the truth—through infidelity, lies, or being untrue to our own self—what do we do? The truth can vary from person to person, let alone one culture to another, and yet we all struggle with it. Wherever it leads, we seek it. The festival will begin on June 5th and finish on June 9th.
The film is made up of short scenes based on strange, even fantastical events, experience by people I know. Some of these are verbally recounted, others re-enacted. The narrative begins with an interview with a Japanese lady aged seventy who, as a child, used to spend every day watching the will’o’the wisp forming in her home village. She says the will’o’the wisp has stopped appearing in the village, and that the folklore has disappeared along with it.
Setsuko, a 55-year-old single 'office lady' in Tokyo, is given a blonde wig and a new identity, “Lucy,” by her young unconventional English instructor. “Lucy” awakens desires Setsuko never knew she had. When the instructor suddenly disappears, Setsuko must come to terms with what remains – herself.
Aïssa is Congolese and is presently residing illegally on French territory. She claims to be a minor however the authorities believe she is over 18. In order to establish whether or not she can remain in the country a doctor must give her a physical examination.
The morning after a first night spent together reveals some disconcerting surprises for Matthieu and Sophie. Accusations fly and expectations collapse as old wounds are reopened and a vision of a more complicated future presents itself. Who will emerge the wiser from this difficult conversation?
There will be a panel discussion following the films on Thursday, June 8 screenings at the JICC.
Please note that all films are unrated.
Please note that all films are unrated. The finale screenings will be followed by a reception.
There will be a discussion panel after the screening on Friday, June 10 screenings at the Embassy of Italy.
Please note that this event is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. Please visit euroasiashorts.com, for the full schedule and to make reservations.
EuroAsia Shorts is organized by: Japan Information and Culture Center – Embassy of Japan | Alliance Française de Washington | Confucius Institute at George Mason University | Cultural Office - Embassy of Spain | DC Shorts Film Festival | Goethe-Institut Washington | Italian Cultural Institute - Embassy of Italy | Korean Cultural Center - Embassy of the Republic of Korea | Embassy of the Philippines