SHINOBU SOEJIMA

 

Shinobu Soejima produces short stop-motion films, installations, and sculptures employing organic materials such as rice, meat, insects, as well as puppets. By fully utilizing the mechanics of animation, she explores the dissolution of boundaries—between living and nonliving things, center and periphery, and the visible and the invisible.

 

Soejima won several awards at domestic and international film festivals, including the 68th International Short Film Festival Oberhausen Special Mention by Ecumenical Jury, the 22nd Japan Media Art Festival -Jury’s prize, Fantasia International Film Festival 2025 Kon Satoshi award of Bronze, Image Forum Festival: East Asia Experimental Competition- Shibuya Sky Award and Art Award Tokyo Marunouchi-Kimura Eriko's prize in 2018. She is currently a PhD candidate of Tokyo University of the Arts Film and New Media, and working as a tutor of Media Art Course at Tama Art University. Selected as an Official Support Artist for the 3rd OSAP 2026.

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EDUCATIONS

2012-2013   University College London (UCL), Bachelor of Fine Art.  Slade School of Fine Art (Area of Sculpture)

2014-2018  Tokyo University of Arts. Department of Art. Bachelor of  Intermedia

2019             RCA (Royal College of Art)PEP Research Student, Area of Animation

2018-2021  Tokyo University of Arts. Department of Film and New Media. Master of Animation

2021-           Tokyo University of the Arts, P.h.D Media Studies

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AWARDS & SCREENINGS

2016 

• Tokyo Midtown Award 2016-Art, Finalist 

2017​

• Dreaming 2074 Award Finalist

2018 

• 4th Heisei Geijutsu Award

• Art Award Tokyo Marunouchi, Eriko Kimura (Yokohama Chief Curator)’s Prize

• 24th Campus Genius Contest, Entertainment Division, Winning

• Image Forum Festival 2018: East Asia Experimental Competition, Selected

• Kyoto International Student Film Festival, Selected

• Lanterna Magica International Animation Festival, Selected

• ANIMATOR International Animation Festival, Selected

• SUPERTOON International Animation Festival, Selected

• CATACUMBA Underground International Film Festival, Selected 

• Festival International Animation Akayu, Selected

• Mainichi Film 73rd Awards, Animation & Noburu Ofuji Division, Nominated

• Hiroshima International Animation Film Festival 2018, Student Film

2019

• 22nd JAPAN Media Arts Festival, Jury's Award

• 25th Campus Genius Contest-Art Division Gold Prize

• 25th Campus Genius Contest- Entertainment Division Winning

• 21st DigiCon6 JAPAN, Silver Award

• 21st DigiCon6 ASIA, Silver- Innovative Art Award

• Mainichi Film 74th Award, Animation & Noburu Ofuji Division, Nominated

• Image Forum Festival 2019, East Asia Experimental Competitions, Selected

• Fantasia International Film Festival 2019, Selected

• Toho Cinemas Student Film Festival 2019, Selected

• New Director's Film Festival 2019, Selected

• Indie-AniFest 2019 (15th Korea Independent Animation Film Festival ), Selected

• CRAFT ANIMFEST 2019, Selected

• Big Cartoon Film Festival 2019, Selected

• KABOOM Animation Festival 2019, Selected

• 11th Yebisu International Festival for Art and Alternative Visions

• ​Camera Japan Festival 2019

• ICAF (Inter College Animation Festival) 2019

• Morbido Fest 2019

2020

• Tricky Women Festival 2020, Selected

• ANIMAC 2020, Selected

• ​3331 Art Fair 2020, "Masamichi Toyama Collector Prize", "Art Life Styling Association Collector Prize"

• ​ANIMATRICKS 2020, Selected

• dotdotdotdot Open Air Kurzfilmfestival 2020

• LINOLEUM Contemporary Animation and Media Art 2020

• Camera Japan Festival 2020

2021

• ASK Film Festival 2021, GRAND Prize (ASK? Kimura)

• FANTASIA International Film Festival, Selected

• The International Critique Session, Jury Yu Jin Choi (The 0rgnizer of Indi-Anime Festival) Award

                                                         Jury Prof. Candace Reckinger (UCS) Award

• 32nd Tokyo Student Film Festival

• ​11th Stop Trick IFF, Selected

• 13th Festival Stop Motion Montreal, Selected

• 13th Shimokitazawa Film Festival

• 3rd Warsaw Animation Film Festival

• World Festival of Animated Film, Varna

• Happy Vallery Animation Festival 2021

• Etiuda & Anima 2021, selected

• Taiwan International Student Design Competition 2021, SILVER Prize Winner, 

• Taiwan International Student Design Competition 2021,  Hong Kong Federation of Design and Creative Industrial Prize Winner

• Kunsthalle Mainz-Short Cuts       

• China Independent Animation Film Forum, in Nantong, Selected

• World Festival of Animated Film, Varna 2021

2022

• The 68th The International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, Special Mention bEcumenical Jury

• ​SSFF & ASIA 2022 (Short Short Film Festival & Asia)

• ​Tehran International Film Festivalval 

• ​Cardiff International Film Festival

• Tricky Woman Tricky Realities 2022

• 17th Kichijoji Animation Festival, Grand Prize for Stopmotion Animation

• 27th Campus Genius Contest- Gold Prize & July Prize

• Ravenheart International Film Festival 2022

• ​Tabor Film Festival 2022

• Animist Tallinn 2022

• Vidlings & Tapeheads Film Festival 2022

• St Andrews Film Festival 2022

• 14th Yebisu International Festival for Art and Alternative Visions

• Camera Japan Festival 2022

• St Andrews Film Festival 2022

• Waterpieces 2022

• Lucca Comics & Games 2022

• BITBANG Animation, Video Games and Digital Art Festival

• Microwave International New Media Arts Festival Hong Kong 2022

2023

•  Wiesbaden International Animation Festivals 2022 

2024

• New Chitose Airport Animation Festival 2024

• LIAF London International Animation Festival

2025

• FANTASIA International Animation Festival 2025, Kon Satoshi-Bronze Award

• Image Forum Festival: East Asia Experimental Competitions, SHIBUYA SKY Award

• Excellence Award, General Video Category, Asia Digital Art Award Fukuoka 2025

• XXII KinoProba Film Festival, Special diploma of the animated film jury award (Russia)

• Recipient of the Hirayama Ikuo Arts and Culture Award

• MOSTRA Lisbon International Animation Festival

• Berlin International Animation Festival

• Tricky Women Tricky Realities International Animation Festival

• Mainichi Film Festival, Nominated

• Fest Anča International Animation Festival

• The 19th FANTASIA International Animation Festival

• The 6th Topuiaw Animation Week

• Seoul Indie-AniFest 2025

• SMOF Stop Motion Our Festival

• The 25th Nippon Connection

• NYAA CG-Arts, Canon Marketing Japan Award

• DigiCon6, July Award

• INSOMNIA International Animation Film Festival

• The International Film Schools Festival and Workshop «Kinoproba»

• The 12 International Animation Film Nikozi Festival

• Animist Tallinn (Estonia)

• Lanterna Mágica - 8th Goiânia International Animation Festival (Brazil)

• 11th Animatex Animation Film Festival (Egypt)

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Curatorial Works

2013

Grant Museum of Zoology “Sculpture Season” London UK 

2016

Gallery Maruhi, "Geidai x EXPO" Tokyo Japan

Tokyo Midtown, "Tokyo Midtown Award 2016" Tokyo Japan

2017  "Dreaming 2074", nominees exhibition, Tokyo Japan (up-comming)

Roppongi Art Night 

2018    Tokyo University of the Arts, Graduate Show 

Heisei Geijutsu Award winners Exhibition

Art Award Tokyo Marunouchi, Gyoko Underground Gallery

Todaiji Group Show

​2019    Yokohama Art Compass, Yokohama Contemporary Museum of Art

Royal College of Art, Exchange Student Group Show, London UK

2020   3331 Art Fair 2020, Tokyo Japan

KUMA Exhibition 2020, Tokyo Japan

Campus Genius Contest "Winner's Exhibition", Tokyo Japan

            "Listen to Her Song", Chinretsukan Gallery Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo Japan

2021　ASK? Gallery Space Kimura, Tokyo Japan

            Group Show, "Say Hello to Strangers", Kanagawa Japan

            HINOHARA Art Festival 2021, Tokyo Japan

2022   "Continuum", The Japan Foundation, Sydney, Australia

　　　ANNECY International Film Festival- MIFA. Annecy. France

​           KUMA FOUNDATION Gallery Space Opening Exhibition, Tokyo. Japan

           A Small, Good Thing, Koganecho Artist in Residency Gallery, Kanagawa Japan   

           POPPETRY, KUMA FOUNDATION Gallery, Tokyo. Japan

           Blink in the Desert, ASK? Kimura Gallery, Tokyo Japan

2023  A Small, Good Thing, Studio Site-A Gallery, Kanagawa Japan

          Dystopia: Transition from Memory, Art Front Gallery, Tokyo Japan

          HANUI: Seam allowance for three people, Ask? Kimura Kyobashi, Tokyo Japan

          Zushi Art Festival 2023, Zushi City Iryou Centre, Kanagawa Japan

　　 Homo-Tentorium, Koganecho Residency MOMO, Kanagawa Japan

2024  ART SG (Singapore Arts & Science Museum, Marina Bay Sands/ Singapore)

2025　150 Years (Minami Ikebukuro, Tokyo)

　　　Group Show "Anima Personal"/ Osaka University Nakanosihma Art Centre, Osaka Japan

　　　Here and There, Absolute Space Air, Tainan Taiwan

2026　Encounter/ Shift/ Create, Site-A Gallery Beneath the Railways, Japan

"When it rains, We shall talk" Tokyo Dome Art Project, Tokyo Dome City, Japan

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Residency

2020  Koganechou Artist in Residence

2025   EU-Japan Animation Residency

           Absolute Space Air Tainan 

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Grants

2019　BCJA (British Council) Scholarship of 2019

KUMA Foundation 3rd Scholarship student

TOBITATE (Leap for Tomorrow) Foundation 10th Scholarship student

 Tokyo University of the Arts, Study Abroad Scholarship of 2019

2021　Mitsubishi Art Gate Programme, Scholarship

17th Kozuki Foundation, Creator's subsidy

Japan Arts Foundation Scholarship 2021

2022　KUMA Foundation Activity Support Grant

Nomura Foundation Scholarship

2024　The Project to Support Emerging Media Arts Creators

Japan Arts Council for Films, Short Animation

2025　Tobemaki Scholarships

Nakamura Sekizen Scholarship

2026　OSAP 2026 Official Support Artist program

NeW NeW 3rd artist program

The Kao Foundation for Arts and Sciences

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Other Experiences

2019　Animator on a new film by filmmaker Paul Bush

2020　Intern, Festival Operations Team, Tricky Women / Tricky Realities International Animation Festival (Austria)

2024–Present　Part-time Lecturer, Department of Information Design, Media Art Course, Tama Art University

2026–Present　Part-time Lecturer, Joshibi University of Art and Design

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