Cinema at Sea - Okinawa Pan-Pacific International Film Festival is a new film festival launching in Okinawa, Japan taking place in late November 2023. Inspired by the culture of the Pacific regions, the festival will present the cinematic voices of the Pan-Pacific region and create an international networking opportunity.
Located on the beautiful island of Okinawa in southwest Japan, the festival will focus on bringing cinema of the Pan-Pacific region to East Asian audiences and build a bridge to the international film market.
Cinema at Sea sets out to awaken the spirit from the ocean, to gather the voices of the islands to become a message to the contemporary world. From marginal geographical situations to unique indigenous identities; from severe climate change to the hope of peace under the changing world.
The festival program will consist of Pacific Film Competition (feature and short), Director in Focus, Pacific Islands Spotlight, Japan Islands Showcase and VR screenings.
To make use of the beautiful beaches, the festival will also be screening part of the program at Beachside Screenings.
Competition - 2023
CALL FOR ENTRIES (10 July - 31 August 2023)
Please check the submission regulation in Filmfreeway:
https://filmfreeway.com/Cinema-at-Sea
Applications for 2023 have ended.
Pan-Pacific Region Countries:
Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Colombia, People's Republic of China, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niue,North Korea, Palau, Panamá, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, the Russian Federation, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, the United States of America, Vanuatu, Vietnam
Overseas territories such as New Caledonia are also eligible.
Huang Yin-Yu / 黄インイク
Executive Director
We originally started the festival’s idea and concept in 2018 and after holding a few events since 2019, Cinema at Sea International Film Festival will finally launch its first official edition in November 2023! Located in the beautiful and famous Okinawa islands in southwest Japan, the festival will focus on bringing the Pan-Pacific region to the East Asian audience and the international market.
The origin of Okinawa Islands is the Ryukyu Kingdom, which was the official name until the late 19th century. After experiencing colonisation, the battle of World War II, the US Army Administration, Okinawa has become a very multicultural place, where different cultures and people have come together and created a beautiful place full of leisure and has become a famous tourism destination in East Asia.
Cinema at Sea is channeling the Okinawan spirit to gather voices of the Pacific islands and bring messages from marginal geographical places and unique indigenous cultures, that inform us about the severity of climate change, geopolitical conflict and disappearing worlds, but still are filled with hope of peace in a changing world.
The 1st official edition will be in late November 2023, and we sincerely welcome you to join us. MENSORE (“Welcome” in Okinawan)!
SHOGEN / 尚玄
With over 20 years of experience in the film industry, organizing an international film festival in my hometown has always been a cherished dream; a wonderful opportunity for me to contribute to the community.
Okinawa thrived as a vital transit trading area during the Ryukyu Kingdom period, boasting a rich historical background and cultural diversity through its interactions with neighboring Asian countries. Rooted in this robust historical foundation and cultural diversity, Okinawa stands as an exceptional international tourist destination. It provides an ideal platform for an international film festival that connects the countries of the Pacific Rim.
This festival aspires to become an annual iconic celebration, shedding light on Japanese films for both local and international audiences. As the festival's ambassador, my mission extends beyond mere film screenings; it encompasses building educational initiatives and fostering industry development.
Born in Okinawa Prefecture, Shogen made his acting debut in the 2005 film “Bloody Snake Under the Sun,” where he portrayed a Sanshin performer (an Okinawan traditional musical instrument). Directed by Yu Nakai, the film depicts post-war Okinawa and was nominated in the Competition category at the 20th Tokyo International Film Festival.
Currently based in Japan, he has appeared in numerous films, not only in Japanese cinema but also in international productions. In 2021, he starred in and produced the film "Gensan Punch," directed by Brillante Mendoza, and won the Kim Jisok Award at the Busan International Film Festival. In 2022, he received the Asia Star Award at the same film festival.
Aika Higashimori / 東盛あいか
I grew up on a small island with no film theater. I always thought that everything was far beyond my home island, whose richness I was totally unaware of. However, it was movies that taught me about the world and helped me embrace my home. Above all, movies opened my eyes to the potentials of small islands that I had felt were isolated and closed off. We can connect. We can show the world how we live here.
Cinema at Sea is an international film festival that expands the circle of harmony, encouraging cultural exchange and communication between Okinawa and other places around the Pacific Rim. I hope to pass this circle down to the next generation of Okinawans through this festival, where we all come together and share joy and excitement with local people.
Aika Higashimori was born on Yonaguni Island, Okinawa. She graduated from the Department of Film Production at Kyoto University of Art and Design. “Bachiranun,” a film which she directed as a graduation project and in which she also played the leading role, was released nationwide after winning the Grand Prize at the Pia Film Festival in 2021. While working as an actor and director, she is also active in promoting the local language of Yonaguni.
Festival Manager：Tachibana Aika
Industry Manager：Ina Hon
Director of Programming：Wonder Weng
Programmer：Fujiki Kosuke
Selection Committee Member：Uehara Teruki
International PR/ SNS：Benson Wu, Joseph Kamiya
JAPAN PR：Rakusha
Okinawa PR：Moolin Production, Co., Ltd
Staff： Sugaya So, Hemingway Ryoko, Lin Wen-Chun, Yvonne Fu, Bastien Metay, Uchiima Naoko, Kayo Kaori, Nakatani Shungo
Logo Designer：Uehara Sayaka
Main Visual Designer：Yamada Yuki
Designer：Sakihara Mitsuaki, Nakatani Shungo
Video Editer：Sakugawa Mizuki
Subtitle Production：Moolin Production, Co., Ltd, Nakatani Shungo, Sakugawa Mizuki
Representative：Huang Yin-yu
Board Members：Sugaya So, Nakatani Shungo, Uehara Teruki, Owan Ayako, Higashimori Aika
Supervisor：Yamamoto Kazutaka
Address: 4F, Kainan Bldg., 2-1-3 Higawa, Naha, Okinawa, 900-0022, JAPAN
Tel: +81-98-996-2898
Website: https://cinema-at-sea.com/
Mail: info@cinema-at-sea.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CinemaAtSea
Contact Form: https://forms.gle/KXvMiQfQ5T3vXk4G7