by Toho’s short animated film “If I’m Still Being Born” has received international recognition after winning the Silver Audience Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 30th Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, Canada.
The approximately 20-minute animated film, which is also known by the English title “echo,” was created through Toho’s GEMSTONE Creative Label, a talent-development initiative designed to discover and support emerging creators. The film was directed by Asuka Tsuchiumi and explores the mysterious period before birth through the journey of two unnamed twins searching for a mother they have never met.
The award is particularly significant because the Fantasia Audience Awards are determined by votes from festival audiences. In other words, the film was not simply recognized by a jury or industry professionals—it directly connected with viewers who watched it at the festival.
A Short Film About “Ten Months and Ten Days”
“If I’m Still Being Born” follows a pair of twins who find themselves traveling through a mysterious world under the guidance of an enigmatic guide.
The two siblings have contrasting personalities. The younger sister is timid, while her older brother is more innocent and straightforward. Together, they arrive on a strange planet and begin searching for the mother they have never actually met.
Their journey, however, is far from peaceful.
As they move through the mysterious world, the landscape itself begins to crumble under the weight of their mother’s sorrow. The film gradually turns its fantastical setting into an emotional representation of the experience surrounding birth.
One of the film’s most distinctive ideas is its portrayal of “ten months and ten days”—a poetic expression of the period before children enter the world.
Rather than conventionally presenting birth, director Asuka Tsuchiumi uses colorful animation, unusual environments, and symbolic imagery to explore the connection between parents and children before they have even met.
The result is a short film that combines fantasy, emotion, and visual experimentation.
Fantasia Audience Gives the Film Its Recognition
The Fantasia International Film Festival is one of North America’s major genre-film festivals, with a strong focus on fantasy, horror, science fiction, animation, and other imaginative forms of cinema.
At the 30th edition of the festival, “If I’m Still Being Born” was screened as the opening film of the short animation program “Anime no Bento 2026.”
The film ultimately received the Silver Audience Award for Best Animated Short Film, demonstrating that its emotional story and distinctive visual presentation resonated strongly with festivalgoers.
Unlike awards selected entirely by a professional jury, the Audience Award reflects the direct response of people attending the festival.
That makes the recognition especially meaningful for a short film created through a talent-support initiative such as GEMSTONE.
Fantasia’s Animation Programming Director Praises the Film
Rupert Bottenberg, Animation Programming Director at the Fantasia International Film Festival, expressed strong praise for Tsuchiumi’s work.
He described the film as emotionally rich and highlighted its sophisticated use of animation as a storytelling tool. According to Bottenberg, he became interested in screening the film almost immediately after seeing it.
The film’s subject matter also influenced its placement in the festival program.
Because the story revolves around birth, Bottenberg felt that it was an ideal opening work for “Anime no Bento 2026.” Its themes helped establish the emotional and artistic atmosphere for the short films that followed.
He also praised GEMSTONE Creative Label for its role in discovering and supporting new filmmaking talent.
An Emotional Story Told Through Animation
One of the most interesting aspects of “If I’m Still Being Born” is that its story does not depend solely on dialogue.
Instead, animation itself plays an important role in communicating emotion.
The mysterious planet, the collapsing path, the journey of the twins, and the colorful visual design all contribute to the film’s central theme.
The twins’ search for their mother can also be viewed as a metaphor for the bond between children and parents. Although the characters have not yet met their mother, they are already connected to her through their existence.
This gives the film a surprisingly emotional foundation despite its short runtime.
At around 20 minutes, the film has to establish its world, characters, central mystery, and emotional conclusion in a relatively limited amount of time. The festival recognition suggests that the creative team succeeded in making that compact storytelling approach effective.
The Film Was Also Selected for Hiroshima Animation Season 2026
The film’s international success has been accompanied by recognition in Japan.
“If I’m Still Being Born” was selected for the HAM Competition, a new competition for Japanese works at Hiroshima Animation Season 2026.
The event is attracting international attention as an important gathering for animation creators and audiences.
The film was officially screened on August 22, 2026, as part of the “HAM STAR” section, which focuses on works with particularly strong storytelling.
Its selection for both Fantasia and Hiroshima Animation Season demonstrates the film’s ability to attract attention in different festival environments.
While Fantasia provides a major international platform, Hiroshima offers another important opportunity for Japanese animation to be evaluated alongside works from the global animation community.
What Is GEMSTONE Creative Label?
The film originated from GEMSTONE Creative Label, a Toho project established to support the next generation of creators.
The initiative was launched by young Toho employees with the goal of creating an environment where emerging filmmakers and artists could develop original projects without being restricted by traditional formats or previous achievements.
Rather than focusing only on established names, GEMSTONE aims to give promising creators opportunities to present distinctive ideas.
Over the years, projects supported by the label have appeared at film festivals in Japan and overseas.
Among the works associated with the initiative are “First Line” by China in 2024, Shunta Seki’s “Sonic Beat” in 2025, and Riko Murakami’s “The City Without a Face” in 2025.
The continued festival presence of these works highlights GEMSTONE’s growing role as a platform for discovering unusual and ambitious creative projects.
GEMSTONE’s Growing International Presence
The success of “If I’m Still Being Born” also follows GEMSTONE’s growing presence at international festivals.
According to Bottenberg, this was the second consecutive year that a GEMSTONE production had been screened at Fantasia, following “Sonic Beat” the previous year.
For a talent-development project, repeated international festival participation is an encouraging sign.
It shows that short-form animation created by emerging artists can find an audience beyond Japan, particularly when the work combines a strong emotional concept with an original visual style.
The latest award could therefore help bring additional attention to both Tsuchiumi and the GEMSTONE Creative Label.
Rupert Bottenberg’s Full Comment
Bottenberg also shared his thoughts on the film and its significance within the festival program.
He expressed his happiness that Asuka Tsuchiumi’s “If I’m Still Being Born” received the Audience Award at Fantasia 2026, noting that there is perhaps no greater confirmation for a festival programmer than seeing audiences respond positively to a film they selected.
He also praised GEMSTONE Creative Label as an important incubator for bold and original filmmakers who could become part of the next generation of the industry.
Regarding Tsuchiumi’s film, Bottenberg emphasized its emotional depth and sophisticated storytelling through animation. He explained that he was eager to screen the film after seeing it and ultimately included it in the “Anime no Bento 2026” short-film program.
He also noted that the year’s program brought together major studios, established creators, and emerging artists.
In his view, the story of “If I’m Still Being Born,” centered on the theme of birth, was an ideal way to open the program and establish its tone.
He concluded by praising the film’s visual and emotional strength, saying that its presence made the overall program stronger and expressing his happiness that the Fantasia audience responded so positively.
Why This Award Matters for Japanese Short Animation
Short animated films often receive less mainstream attention than major theatrical anime productions or long-running television series.
However, film festivals provide an important platform for these smaller projects.
A short film does not need a large franchise or an established cast to attract attention. A distinctive idea, memorable visuals, and effective storytelling can be enough to connect with an international audience.
That is exactly what makes the recognition for “If I’m Still Being Born” noteworthy.
The film started as part of a creator-support program and has now received an Audience Award at a major international genre festival. It has also been selected for an important Japanese animation event.
For Asuka Tsuchiumi, this could represent an important step in establishing a broader creative career.
A Visually Ambitious Film With a Universal Theme
Although “If I’m Still Being Born” is rooted in a fantastical setting, its central subject is universal.
The idea of birth, the relationship between parents and children, and the desire to find someone important are experiences that audiences can understand regardless of language or nationality.
That may be one reason the film has connected with international viewers.
Its story begins with two unnamed siblings searching for a mother they have never met, but the emotional question behind their journey is much larger: What connects us to the people we come from, even before we meet them?
By expressing that question through fantasy and animation, the film creates space for viewers to interpret its imagery in their own way.
Final Thoughts
“If I’m Still Being Born” has become one of the latest Japanese short animated films to attract attention on the international festival circuit.
Directed by Asuka Tsuchiumi and produced through Toho’s GEMSTONE Creative Label, the film uses the journey of two mysterious twins to explore birth, family, loss, and connection.
Its Silver Audience Award for Best Animated Short Film at Fantasia 2026 is especially meaningful because the honor was determined by festival audiences themselves.
The film’s selection for Hiroshima Animation Season 2026 further strengthens its position as a notable emerging work in Japanese animation.
For fans interested in experimental anime, short films, and new animation talent, “If I’m Still Being Born” is certainly a title worth watching as it continues its festival journey.
Key Details
Title: “If I’m Still Being Born”
English title: echo
Director: Asuka Tsuchiumi
Approximate runtime: 20 minutes
Production initiative: Toho GEMSTONE Creative Label
Major recognition: Silver Audience Award for Best Animated Short Film, Fantasia International Film Festival 2026
Fantasia program: “Anime no Bento 2026”
Japan screening: Hiroshima Animation Season 2026
HAM Competition: Selected for the “HAM STAR” section
Main theme: Birth, family, connection, and the journey toward meeting one’s mother
