There’s a short film called Gacha Gacha that deserves your attention and your money. Why should you care? I’ll tell you.
Three years ago I reviewed a film from Australian director Dave Jackson called Cat Sick Blues. It’s one of the most uniquely disturbing films I’ve seen in the last decade. If you haven’t seen Cat Sick Blues, check out my review and watch the trailer. The film has screened at several festivals and should receive US distribution later this year.
Jackson now lives in Osaka, Japan where he continues to make films and music videos. For example, here’s this one from Kawachi Reds.
He’s also currently working on a short film called Gacha Gacha. If you’re wondering what that title means, I’ll explain. Gachapon, also called “gacha,” are Japanese vending machines that dispense small capsule toys. Now that I’ve introduced you to gacha, the film’s synopsis will make a little more sense:
Gacha Gacha is about the nightmare of obsession and the short-lived highs of being a collector. That nagging desperation to possess rare things, and how quickly that desperation fades.
We follow a woman, living alone in a tiny apartment surrounded by an enormous collection of Gacha capsule toys. She gets news of an upcoming Gacha of incredible scarcity. She rushes to her local Gacha shop, and, impossibly enough, that ultra-rare Gacha ends up tumbling out of the machine.
Inside the Gacha ball is something truly odd though. A slimy, potentially living (but just barely) thing slides out. A disgusting, goo-smeared tanuki enters her life.
“What’s a tanuki?” you may ask. I’ve got you covered there, too. A tanuki is a Japanese raccoon dog. Tanuki are often seen in statue form outside of Japanese restaurants and bars.
Just watch Dave Jackson’s delightful Kickstarter video to get a better idea of the film. You will also get a taste of his delightfully weird sense of humor and visual aesthetic.
Jackson explains the Kickstarter for the film in great detail on the campaign page. This includes a pie chart that indicates where the money will go, images of Dieter Barry’s creature design, and more. Barry also worked on Cat Sick Blues, so if you liked the creature effects in that movie, you’ll definitely appreciate what he and Jackson have planned for Gacha Gacha.
Rewardsfor the Kickstarter include a digital copy of the film, Matthew Revert’s original score, behind-the-scenes footage, a ticket to the film’s Osaka premiere, a copy of the film on DVD, concept art, limited edition art prints, T-shirts, movie posters, props, and much more.
Gacha Gacha is deep in pre-production and the Kickstarter campaign ends in about three weeks. Please consider throwing a few bucks in its direction. It’s always a good idea to support talented folks who might not otherwise get to share their creations with the world.
Be sure to follow the progress of Gacha Gacha on social media!
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