This is the first annual Ishinomaki International Film Festival 2017 (IIFF 2017). We are welcoming submissions of Music Videos and Documentary Shorts with special awards for films made in the Tohoku area of Japan, music videos made on smartphones and films produced by students. Ishinomaki is a town in Northeastern Japan that was devastated by the March 11, 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami. We have created this festival to bring together musicians and filmmakers from Ishinomaki, the rest of Japan and the world, to help us build a community of art and communication, and to inspire young people to create their own films and music and find expression for their voices.
Ishinomaki has a history of movie theaters and music. People would come from far and wide to enjoy films at the town's many movie theaters. It is also a place that has been the focus of many films shot after the Tsunami. Before the Tsunami, Ishinomaki used to be the town with the most live music venues in the Tohoku area. This is why we choose the focus of this festival to be Music Videos and Short Documentaries. We want to bring back some of the excitement of times gone by and invite people to come to Ishinomaki to experience the post tsunami renaissance that is happening right now in Ishinomaki. This festival will also feature films made by participants in the Ishinomaki Documentary Filmmaking Course taking place this July.
Winning films will be shown IIFF 2017 on July 29th at the Purena Hall in Ishinomaki. There will also be a party at Hashidori Common in downtown Ishinomaki after the Festival. Guests at the festival will select the film to receive the “Ishinomaki Award”.
Non-Japanese films that win awards in this festival will be sub-titled in Japanese by the Ishinomaki Film translation team and filmmakers will be provided with the subtitle data. Japanese films that win awards for this festival will be sub-titled in English by the Ishinomaki Film translation team and filmmakers will be provided with the subtitle data. This is an excellent opportunity to introduce your work to Japan and see how Japanese people like your work.
If you can make it to Ishinomaki this summer, it is a great time to be there! IIFF 2017 happens right in the middle of Ishinomaki Stand Up Week and the Reborn Art Festival and is followed by the Ishinomaki Kawabiraki Festival and Fireworks on July 31st and August 1st.
All winners will receive a hand made plaque made by local Ishinomaki artists. Winners of the "Ishinomaki Award", films selected by the people of Ishinomaki, will receive a special prize of local Ishinomaki products.
Non-Japanese films that win awards in this festival will be sub-titled in Japanese by the Ishinomaki Film translation team and filmmakers will be provided with the subtitle data. Japanese films that win awards for this festival will be sub-titled in English by the Ishinomaki Film translation team and filmmakers will be provided with the subtitle data.