Applicants competed by submitting a script inspired by the festival theme,  “Tomorrow.Today.” All 49 submitted scripts were judged by a panel led by Prettybird’s partner and exec producer Ali Brown and the top five  selected directors were asked to make an actual short film based on the script.

Here is the lineup of exceptionally talented young directors:

Winner of the Popular Vote: Midnight, directed by Jo Motoyo, TOKYO

My Jellyfish directed by Mai Murata, Dentsu Creative X Inc.

Riverside Heights directed by Rin Soejima, AOI Pro

Return, directed by Tomu Yamaguchi, AOI Pro

Pray directed by Naoto Mitake, AOI Pro / Directors Think Tank