The members involved in the selection and judging of films for the 2nd Hokkaido International Film Festival are as follows.
Jury
Coming Soon
Programing Directors
From the highly evaluated films in the prescreening selection, the Programming Director selects the nominated and screening films for each category.
Short Films
Masahiro Hasegawa
Started his career as a copywriter in 1988. In 1997, he was in charge of Hokkaido marketing for foreign films such as 20th Century FOX films. Since 2007, he has served as the publicity, secretariat, and producer for the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival, and was appointed as the director of the secretariat in 2019. He also produced the Hokkaido location film “Neet Neet Neet” in 2017. He produced and wrote lyrics for the song “SUSUKINO BEAT” by volunteer members of a live bar in Susukino, and directed the music video to support Susukino, which was exhausted by the Corona disaster in 2020. Producer of Hokkaido International Film Festival.
Medium-length Films
Atsushi Tsuchida
Film Guide / Radio Personality (Sapporo native). Began his film career in the 1980s working at the now-defunct Sugai Kogyo cinema. Progressed from projectionist to theater promotion, film programming, and eventually became freelance. While active as a producer for film promotions, events, and screenings, he expanded his multifaceted activities to include contributions to information magazines and free papers, as well as television and radio appearances. Since 2016, he has been the producer and MC of the film information program “Wandafo! Palette Cinema” on FM81.3MHz Sapporo Village Radio. He continues his lifelong passion for cinema, watching over 300 films annually. Well-versed in films from both Japanese and international genres, his unique perspective on cinema is unparalleled in Hokkaido.
Feature Films
Tokitoshi Shiota
Born January 1, 1956 in Sapporo. He started his career as an editor at Byakuya Shobo and became a film critic. He took over ZOOM-UP Film Festival during his tenure, and participated in the launch of Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival in 1990. He has appeared in films by Shinya Tsukamoto, Ryuichi Hiroki, Takashi Miike, Gaspar Noe, and others. He is the author of such books as “Such a Fun Fantastic Film Festival in the World” and “Korean Cinema: This Relentless Life”. He made his directorial debut with “Ririka of the Star”.
Prescreening Panel Members
The following 9 members made the Prescreening of all submissions.
| Name | Shimeji |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Hokkaido International Film Festival Executive Committee |
| Career History | After working on the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival, which was the hardest job I have ever had in the film industry, I am still working in the film industry today. |
| Birthplace / Age | Iwamizawa City, Hokkaido / 40s |
| Name | Ryo Yamada |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Hokkaido International Film Festival Executive Committee |
| Career History | Participated in the 1st Hokkaido International Film Festival as an Assistant Director and also served as MC on stage. Previously worked as a vocalist at a live bar. |
| Birthplace / Age | Sapporo City, Hokkaido / 30s |
| Name | Tomoki Katayama |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Chairperson, Abashiri Film Commission |
| Career History | Based in Abashiri City, he promotes local film culture and location filming, focusing his efforts on revitalizing locally produced filmmaking. His documentary film Business Hotel Family, in which he starred, garnered attention as a regional film, praised for its unique perspective and presence. |
| Birthplace / Age | Abashiri City, Hokkaido / 50s |
| Name | AKIRA |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Representative of “Sugaramurudi”, a free film newspaper / Film Writer |
| Career History | Since 2017, he has been publishing the free film paper “Sugaramurudi”. Staff member of “Cinema Torus”, a mini-theater in Tomakomai City, Hokkaido. |
| Birthplace / Age | Sapporo City, Hokkaido / 30s |
| Name | Offtaro |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Member of “Sugaramurudi”, a free film newspaper / Film Writer |
| Career History | Join the film free newspaper “Sugaramurudi” from 2019 |
| Birthplace / Age | Kushiro City, Hokkaido / 30s |
| Name | Tanuki |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Member of “Eiganokuuki” |
| Career History | Absolutely loves movies, watching around 300 films a year both at home and in theaters (United Cinemas Sapporo is a favorite). |
| Birthplace / Age | Sapporo City, Hokkaido / 30s |
| Name | Masayuki Onishi |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Radio director |
| Career History | When I was a teenager, I spent my youth watching movies while working part-time at a video rental store. |
| Birthplace / Age | Kushiro City, Hokkaido / 50s |
| Name | Katie Rong |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Representative Director/Producer, Tokyo Bay Films Entertainment Co., Ltd. |
| Career History | Resides in Tokyo. Came to Japan at age 10 and majored in business administration at Hosei University. Began her career as a location coordinator for Chinese and Hong Kong films shooting in Japan, gaining experience in international co-productions. Subsequently participated in numerous film projects spanning Japan, China, and the United States, involved in a wide range of areas from planning and development to shooting and finishing. Currently works on a wide variety of projects, including theatrical films, TV dramas, horror films, and genre films. His credits include Japan location coordinator for “77 Times I Forgive My Boyfriend” (directed by Harman Yao), associate producer for ‘189’ (directed by Kameo Ikuo), and producer for “Rules of Living” (directed by Greg Dale), all of which have been screened and won awards at film festivals in Japan and abroad. He also co-founded CultureSHOCK Japan, a label that introduces Japanese genre films overseas, and is focused on developing and promoting film projects that connect Japan and the rest of the world. |
| Birthplace | Liaoning Province, China |
| Name | Wilco C.J. Rullens |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Co-founder, Tokyo Bay Films Entertainment Co., Ltd. |
| Career History | ilm director, screenwriter, producer. After graduating from film school, he came to Japan and has since been based there, working on international co-productions spanning Japan, China, and Hong Kong. He has handled diverse visual works including feature films, short films, and TV series. His directorial works include the urban legend-themed short film Stay Pretty, No Pity and the feature horror film Sheets: A Japanese Ghost’s Story, slated for U.S. distribution. He has earned high acclaim for his unique worldview and deep understanding of genre cinema. He also served as original creator, screenwriter, and director for the Japanese TV drama “BLT Sandwich Cafe” (Tokyo MX), adapted from a manga, handling a wide range of creative work from story development to visual production. As a producer, he has worked on internationally diverse projects including “Tokyo Is Not Hot” (directed by Qiu Qi), “Tokyo Home Stay Massacre” (2020 / Leomark Studios USA), and “Rules of Living” (directed by Greg Dale), all of which have screened and won awards at film festivals both domestically and internationally. Furthermore, he has extensive experience supporting foreign directors producing works in Japan, earning trust as a reliable “bridge” with expertise in both directing and production aspects. |
| Birthplace | Netherlands |