We are looking for short films five minutes long or less based on one of the winners of the 2021 “EGAO Kandou Monogatari” original narrative contest.
What is “EGAO Kandou Monogatari”?
In Japanese, the word “smile” (egao) is made up of the characters for “laugh” and “face,” but by also incorporating the character for “love” into “smile,” it combines to form the new word “EGAO (Love Face).” “Love” can be seen when people help and support each other, and “smiles” can appear when people persevere through difficult challenges. This year’s “EGAO Kandou Monogatari” visualization contest will feature last year’s award-winning original narratives focused on the theme of heartwarming stories full of “EGAO”—love and smiles.
⇒Click here for more information about "EGAO Kandou Monogatari” (Japanese only)
Submission Guidelines
| Entry Details | Ehime Prefecture has been holding the “EGAO Kandou Monogatari” original narrative contest since 2014, and nine winners have been selected from last year’s competition to serve as prompts for this year’s “EGAO Kandou Monogatari” visualization project. We are looking for short films five minutes long or less based on one of the following prompts: “Egao Mark (Smiley Face),” “Ai no Katachi (The Shape of Love),” “Issho ni Waraou (Laugh Together),” “Nidome no Deban (A Second Calling),” “Kawaranai Egao (Unchanging Smile),” “Kaguya-hime (Princess Kaguya),” “Egao no Tame ni (For A Smile),” “Sobo no Ryouri (My Grandmother’s Cooking),” and “Futari de Nagameta Yozora (The Night Sky We Watched Together)”. |
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| Prompts | ⇒ Click here for this year’s narrative prompts (Japanese only) |
| Eligibility | Anyone of any age and nationality, from professionals to amateurs, individuals to groups, can enter in this contest. However, contestants under the age of 20 at the time of submission must first obtain parental consent. |
| Submission Deadline | Closed. |
| Entry Fee | FREE |
| Judging Criteria |
1. Does the work show ambition and ingenuity in filmmaking? 2. Does the work convey “love and smiles” and evoke emotions in viewers? 3. Is it heartwarming to watch and does it follow the theme of the original narrative? |
| Awards & Prizes | The winners will be selected by a committee of judges, and an award ceremony will be held. ■ Grand Prize・・・500,000 yen (1 winner) ■ Runner-Up Prize・・・・300,000 yen (1 winner) ■ Excellence Prize・・・・100,000 yen (1 winner) ■ Special Prize・・・・Products of Ehime (3 winners) |
| Judges | 【Judging Committee Chair】 Shoji MASUI (Film Producer) 【Judging Committee】 Masanori TOMINAGA (Film Director) Koichiro MORI (Himebuta-no-Kai Representative) J-taro SUGISAKU (Actor, Manga Artist, Film Director) |
| Submission Requirements |
1. The video file format and dimensions must be as follows: ・File format must be either MP4 or MOV. ・Dimensions must be 1920 x 1080 (20-30fps). 2. Please add a white frame at the start and end of your video to mark the beginning and end of the submission. This white frame is not included in the five-minute limit. |
| How to Submit | Closed.
Contact Info 〒790-8570 Ehime International Film Festival Executive Committee Office (Ehime Prefecture Culture Promotion Division) Email info@eiff-jp.net Website https://eiff-jp.net/en/egaokando |
| Terms and Conditions | 1. Work Submission
・You can submit as many works as you like. ・The title of your submission(s) must be the same as the selected narrative(s). You cannot change it for the visualization. ・Your completed submission(s) must be no longer than 5 minutes each. ・Please include Japanese subtitles if your submission(s) is in a language other than Japanese. ・There are no limitations on the genre (live action, CG, animation, dance, recitation, etc.). ・Your submission(s) must be an original created by yourself and not been previously published anywhere else. ・We are not liable for any loss or damage of the submissions due to issues during transportation. 2. Selection Process ・There will be a preliminary round judged by the executive commitee before submissions are judged by the official commission. ・Your submission may be disqualified if it is difficult to watch due to poor playback or other reasons. ・We will not respond to any inquiries regarding the selection process. 3. Expenses ・You will be responsible for all costs related to the production and submission of your work. 4. Copyright ・The copyright of the submitted works shall belong to the original creators. However, we reserve the right to reproduce, edit, lend to third parties, screen, translate (including adding subtitles in Japanese, English, or other languages), distribute, or share on public platforms (e.g., uploading to YouTube) the submitted works for the purposes of promoting the Ehime International Film Festival and Ehime Prefecture without compensating the original creators. ・If you use music, videos, photographs, or other media, please do not use copyrighted materials, and instead use original materials wherever possible. ・If you must use copyrighted materials, please consult with us in advance. ・We are not liable for any infringement of rights, compensation for damages, or any other issues that may occur during the production and screening of the submitted work(s). You must agree that the submitted work does use copyrighted material, and that it also does not defame or slander a third party. You assume full responsibility for any copyright infringement against any third party. ・It is not necessary to obtain permission to use the original narratives provided for this contest. However, if you wish to use a video work based on an original narrative for purposes other than entering this contest, you will need to obtain a separate license（application form here）. Applications will be accepted after the contest deadline. 5. Film Screening ・We reserve the right to hold paid screenings without compensating the original creators. ・The video format of your submission(s) may be changed for screening. We reserve the right to edit your submission(s) and screen them at the Ehime International Film Festival and similar events. 6. Other ・By submitting a work, you agree to the terms and conditions of this contest. ・If you are found to have committed an unlawful act or violation, or your submission is deemed inappropriate for the contest, you may be excluded or disqualified from the selection process, film screenings, award ceremony, and other events, and we may ask that you return any monetary awards you have received. |
| Contact Info | 〒790-8570
Ehime International Film Festival Executive Committee Office (Ehime Prefecture Culture Promotion Division) Email info@eiff-jp.net Website https://eiff-jp.net/en/egaokando |
Shoji MASUI
Film producer and graduate school professor at the Tokyo University of Arts.
Born in Kumakogen Town in 1956, he established the film studio Altamira Pictures after working at Daiei Film. His biggest works include “Shall We Dance?” and “Waterboys,” and some of his works produced locally in Ehime include “Ganbatte Ikimasshoi” and “Fune wo Oritara Kanojo no Shima.” His latest work is “Yononaka ni Taete Sakura no Nakariseba” released in April and starring Renka Iwamoto of Nogizaka46.
Masanori TOMINAGA
Film director born in Uchiko Town, Kita District.
Graduated from the Department of Film at Nihon University College of Art in 1999; currently a lecturer in the department. His biggest works include “Dynamite Graffiti,” “Pumpkin and Mayonnaise,” “Rolling,” and “Pandora's Box.” He has also worked on TV series such as TV Tokyo’s “Eat and Sleep at Camp Alone” and Ehime Asahi TV’s “Niihamu no Tabi.”
Koichiro MORI
Himebuta-no-Kai representative born in Matsuyama City.
Graduated from Matsuyama Minami High School and the Visual Concept Planning Department at Osaka University of Arts. In 2009, he established the Himebuta-no-Kai, an independent film association in Ehime. He mainly directs and produces regional promotional films in collaboration with local governments. His biggest works include “Shokudo Yusukawa” and “Akai Hashi no Aru Machi de.” He is also a producer for the Matsuyama Citizen Film Project.
J-taro SUGISAKU
Actor, manga artist, and film director born in Matsuyama City.
Actor, manga artist, and film director born in Matsuyama City.
Was a manga artist for the comic magazine “Garo” and other publications. He made his acting debut in Teruo Ishii's “Gensen-kan Inn” as the character “Sanryu-san.” In 2003, he founded a film production company and began his filmmaking career. His 14-year film project, “Chocolate Derringer,” is nearing completion. He also hosts a radio show called “J-taro Sugisaku’s Funny Night.”