A Very Straight Neck
| A Very Straight Neck | |
|---|---|
 Teaser poster | |
| Directed by | Neo Sora |
| Written by | Neo Sora |
| Based on | I Will Go Ahead by Momoe Narazaki |
| Produced by | Lawrence Xiao |
| Starring | Sakura Ando |
| Cinematography | Kaori Oda |
| Edited by | Manaka Nagai |
Production companies |
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Release date |
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Running time | 11 minutes |
| Countries |
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| Language | Japanese |
A Very Straight Neck is a 2025 short film directed and written by Neo Sora, based on the 2019 graphic short story I Will Go Ahead by Momoe Narazaki. The film stars Sakura Ando as a woman who wakes up one day with a severe neck pain.
It had its world premiere at the 78th Locarno Film Festival on 13 August 2025, competing at the Concorso Corti d'Autore section,[1] where it won the Pardino d'Oro Swiss Life for the Best Auteur Short Film.[2]
Premise
A woman wakes up with a severe neck pain and revisits memories about her childhood.[3] The film explores the body as a physical manifestation of emotional trauma.[4] It was based on Momoe Nagasaki’s short story I will go ahead.[2]
Production
The film was commissioned by NOWNESS China.[2][4]
In February 2025, it was reported that Parallax had acquired the film's international sales.[5]
Release
A Very Straight Neck had its premiere at the 78th Locarno Film Festival on 13 August 2025 at the Concorso Corti d'Autore section.[6]
The film had its Japanese premiere at the Osaka Asian Film Festival in late August 2025.[2]
Accolades
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Locarno Film Festival | 16 August 2025 | Pardino d'Oro Swiss Life for the Best Auteur Short Film | Neo Sora | Won | [7] |
| Jakarta Film Week | 26 October 2025 | Global Short Award | Won | [8] |
References
- ↑ "A Very Straight Neck". Locarno Film Festival. 1 July 2025. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 "Neo Sora × Sakura Ando's 'A Very Straight Neck' Wins Best Short Film at Locarno International Film Festival | NiEW". NiEW - The media for the culture of asia and Japan such as music, film, art, fashion and more. Retrieved 2025-08-29.
- ↑ "A Very Straight Neck". Midnight Blur Films. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
- 1 2 "A Very Straight Neck (2025) by Neo Sora Short Film Review". Asian Movie Pulse. 2025-08-19. Retrieved 2025-08-29.
- ↑ Wong, Silvia (15 February 2025). "Parallax boosts EFM slate with 'My Father's Son', 'The Deepest Space In Us' (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ↑ Ntim, Zac (1 July 2025). "Locarno Sets Short & Medium Length Competition Titles, Neo Sora & Salvatore Mereu To Debut New Works". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ↑ Georg Szalai (16 August 2025). "Locarno Film Festival Top Award Goes to 'Two Seasons, Two Strangers' by Sho Miyake". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
- ↑ Kotzathanasis, Panos (28 October 2025). "Jakarta Film Week 2025 Concludes with Dopamin, Major Awards for The Devil Smokes and Crocodile Tears". Asian Movie Pulse. Retrieved 28 October 2025.