Director Neo Sora’s A Very Straight Neck has won the Best Short Film award at the 78th Locarno International Film Festival.
The film stars Sakura Ando. After waking from a nightmare, a woman struggles with severe neck pain while trying to care for her energetic young daughter. Memories of a deceased childhood friend resurface, blurring the lines between past and present and gradually throwing her world off balance. A teaser showing Ando lying on a road has also been released.
The project was commissioned by NOWNESS China, focusing on Ando’s physicality. Based on the short story I Will Go Ahead by illustrator Momoé Narasaki, the film was crafted into a concise 10-minute piece.
The Japanese premiere will take place at the Osaka Asian Film Festival. Screenings are scheduled for Friday, August 29 and Sunday, August 31 at the Osaka Nakanoshima Museum of Art.
A Very Straight Neck
Director: Neo Sora (SORA Neo)
Cast: Sakura Ando (ANDO Sakura), Kodachi Kitagata (KITAGATA Kodachi)
Year: 2025 | Countries: Japan, China | Duration: 10 min | Language: Japanese | Subtitles: English
