LEXUS produces the Lexus Short Films series to help foster the next generation of cinematic talent. Showcasing the quality of the work in the program, INTERSECT BY LEXUS is currently hosting the Short Film Theater until December 1st, with screenings of two new Lexus Short Films and more, in partnership with video streaming app UULA and Nestlé Japan. To celebrate the opening, a special talk was held on November 7th with actor and President of Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia Tetsuya Bessho, singer and actor K, and actress and model Alice Hirose.

The first half of the event was devoted to three screenings, starting with one of the new arrivals from the Lexus Short Films program. Co-produced by The Weinstein Company, "Operation Barn Owl" was a poignant 10-minute drama about unrequited love and the difficulty of telling that special someone how you feel. The 15-minute "Fake" was made with SSFF & Asia and UULA, starring Alice Hirose as a popular "rent-a-date" for socially awkward young men, but actually habors her own broken heart. The final screening was the "autumn" entry in Nestlé Japan's "Bittersweet Adult Intersection" series of seasonal films. Here K plays a singer whose wife gets very much the wrong idea about his relationship with his manager, with hilarious consequences.

The audience was then treated to a talk between Bessho, Hirose, and K about what makes a short film unique compared to a regular feature-length film or TV drama. It was Hirose's first role in a short film and she found the rhythm very different. "The story moves forward so much faster," she said. "Yes, being shorter really makes the characters stand out more," remarked Bessho. For his film, K was actually making his debut as an actor and he relished the challenge in part because the medium feels so contemporary. "In the digital age we are going to movie theaters less," he said. "Instead, we watch films on our mobiles devices or computers. In that respect, a short film is a better fit for our new kind of lifestyle today." This clearly delighted Bessho: "You should be an ambassador for short films!"

The Short Film Theater continues until December 1st at INTERSECT's ground floor Garage, featuring a range of Japanese and international short films, including the three films screened at the talk and another new offering from Lexus Short Films.