Kawauso カワウソ
” kawauso” means Japanese river otter.
One day, a girl meets a Japanese river otter. They try to communicate, but it doesn't go very well. This is because the Japanese river otter is already extinct, and it is not possible to actually interact with the girl. They existed in separate spaces.
By depicting the Japanese river otter, which is said to have gone extinct in 2012, this short film presents an opportunity to reconsider what the modern society has sacrificed.
"What is a rich life, and what can we do for the future symbolized by this girl?"
The clear eyes of the silent Japanese river otter ask.
Director : Akihito Izuhara
Script : Ikuko Mizokami & Akihito Izuhara
Sound : Tetsuro Nishi
TitleMusic : Soragoro Uwanosuke
Soragoro : Vocal, Ukulele, Drums
Yusuke Minami : Contrabass
Koji Ataka : Guitar
Agatha : Chorus
Kosuke Nakamura : Rec&Mix&Mastering
Object Drawing : Aiko Okamura, Kaho Kasuga, Keisuke Mada, Makiko Ito,
Marina Akegawa, Sabi Hodumi, Katsuhiko Watanabe
Duration : 15min 22sec
2023
◆ Awards
・Animation Screenings Film Festival Striped Tale "Best Short Animation"
・International Short & Symbolic Art Film Festival (ISAFF) "Best Animation"
・Brussels International Animation Film Festival "Anima" "PRESS AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM"
・Tindirindis International Animated Film Festival "Special Jury Prize"
・Best Japanese Short Film Award "Japanese Serbian Film Festival"
・Best International Animation Film Award "Brittany International Film Festival"
・Golden Dragon "Krakow International Film Festival64"
・Japan Premiere Award "Sapporo Short Fest 2023"
◆ Selected
・Animation Screenings Film Festival Striped Tale
・ALT EFF 2025
・International Photography and Short Movie Festival (IPSMF)
・Reggio Film Festival
・International Short & Symbolic Art Film Festival (ISAFF)
・L'Horcynus Festival
・Norwegian Short Film Festival
・Happy Valley Animation Festival
・IAWRT Asian Women's Film Festival
・Brussels International Animation Film Festival "Anima"
・Prague shorts Film Festival
・Japanese Serbian Film Festival
・Cairo International Film Festival
・Festival Internacional de Cine de Villa de Leyva
・Tindirindis International Animation Film Festival
・San Diego Asian Film Festival
・SPARK AN IMATION2024
・AL SIDR ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL
・Canlandıranlar Film Festival
・ReAnimania International Animation Film Festival
・PARISCIENCE International Science Film Festival
・Ottawa International Animation Festival
・Seoul Independent Animation Festival
・Film festival "der NEUE HEIMAT film #20"
・International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala
・Curtas Vila do Conde - International Film Festival
・Brittany International Film Festival
・Annecy International Animation Film Festival
・Krakow International Film Festival64
・Moscow International Film Festival
・Bolzano Film Festival 2024 (Berlinale Shorts program)
・Hong Kong International Film Festival
