Backstage Pass [Director: Kanji Furutachi]

Created by

Director：Kanji Furutachi

When the curtain falls onstage, a new comedy begins backstage.

Director・Original Story：Kanji Furutachi
After studying acting in NY for five years, he began his stage career in Japan. Alongside numerous film and TV roles, he directed the acclaimed 2016 play Takaki Karemono. Recent credits include Enjō (2026) and Ravens (2025).

Production：	Spoon Inc.
Screenplay：	Shu Matsui
Tastunori Yoshioka：	Takanori Kaneko
Yuu Aizaki：	Marika Matsumoto
Shunichi Araki：	Kanji Tsuda
Executive Producer：	Yoshinobu Noma
Producer（KOSANSHA）：	Keiichi Yuta
Running Time：	24minuites

produced by

KODANSHA Cinema Creators’ Lab. 3rd winning short film pitch.

Synopsis

A desperate actor sits through a terrible play—then gets a text from his manager: go backstage, pay your respects, and bring a gift. In a dressing room where hollow praise bounces off the walls, he keeps missing his chance to slip away. What ordeal is waiting for him behind the curtain?

Director’s Statement

For years as an actor, I have felt the utter futility of the backstage greeting. No one dares to discuss the heart of the performance; instead, they actively avoid it. All that is required is polite social etiquette. This profound discomfort left me with no choice but to turn it into a film.

Information ＆ News

・ShortShorts Film Festival & Asia 2026【Selected】