About this submission

I chose to tell this story because I wanted to encourage people who have moved to new countries and felt out of place. It is deeply rooted in my own experience of moving from Japan to Singapore and struggling to adapt due to language and cultural barriers.

Through this film, I hope to move audiences by inspiring them to take a step forward, stay open to unfamiliar worlds, and support those who feel isolated after moving abroad—reminding them that they are not alone.

Izumo

Creator

A 20-year-old Japanese film director who grew up in Singapore and now resides in New York, he began making films at the age of nine. With experience as a storyboard artist and assistant to acclaimed Singaporean filmmaker Eric Khoo, he is currently studying film production at New York University. His short film Mother’s Recipe (2023) won Best Short Film in the U25 category at the Academy-Qualifying Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia, was selected for multiple festivals, and was featured on Japan Airlines’ in-flight entertainment service, and garnered over 3.5 million total views from clips shared on social media platforms. more...