Ofuda

Short Films 2022

6MIN

Availability ended 10/18/2022 MST
■This is a short horror story based on the motif of "ofuda," which must not be peeled off. The horror begins when a group of young people visit an abandoned village for a test of courage and bring back a "ofuda" that must not be peeled off. One day, when studio photographer Yuta returns to his workplace, he finds that the president and his colleague Yuka are nowhere to be found. One of Yuka's shoes is left undressed at the entrance, and the president's phone is left inside, further vandalized... ■When I thought about the appeal of a horror film, I decided to focus on three elements: the key item, the rules of the curse, and the visuals (background) of the ghost. In this film, the key item and rule is that a spirit will haunt the place where a bill is pasted, and will reveal itself when it is removed. The visuals of the ghosts were created in the image of old Japan. In the story, I don't mention the background of the woman who becomes a ghost or the reason for her death, but she is holding a "handball filled with rice" that her mother gave her when she was evacuated during the war. In Japan, it is called "otedama" and is a plaything, but during the war, rice was sometimes put inside and given to children. What is written on the bill is not a religious meaning. The writing was put up to warn the other villagers to keep her locked up after she had been isolated for some reason in an evacuated area. The curse spreads when a young man from an abandoned village in the countryside brings back such a "fuda" to test his mettle. And he ended up at this studio. The main character, ......, came back there without knowing anything about it. I hope you can see it like that. (Japan)

Director Biography - yoshinobu nakamura



Photographer, lives in Japan

I grew up watching the films of Quentin Tarantino and John Woo.
My dream job so far has been to shoot stills for Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Grant, who came to Japan to promote their films. I was also able to interview Ken Foley and Galen Ross when they came to Japan in 2019 to promote Dawn of the Dead. I was also able to photograph many other actors.

Also, as a photographer, I have won prizes in domestic and international photo contests, and in 2019, I started independent film production." Mono yuuni" was screened at film festivals in Japan and "ofuda" was shot in July 2021 and screened at a horror film festival in the US just three months later in October. In addition, the film has been accepted into many other national and online film festivals, including Croatia, Belgium, South Africa, Nigeria, and Slovakia, and is still touring film festivals.

In terms of film genres, I am particularly interested in horror. I believe that this genre is not only scary but also has a deep meaning rooted in the culture of the country.

I am also interested in the film culture and filmmaking of people from other countries, and I would be happy to talk with you about it.

Filmography
Short film "Mono yuuni" (2019) shooting and editing
First time director of the short horror film "ofuda" (2021)


Director Statement


He was influenced by film directors David F. Sandberg and Lars Klevberg's short horror films. I am aiming for a good movie in a shorter time.





Credits

Directed by yoshinobu nakamura

Written by yoshinobu nakamura

Produced by yoshinobu nakamura

Cast Yuta Inamatsu
kanna tachibana

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