Japanese actress Runa Nushimo, who made her acting debut in Taiwan before returning to Japan in 2024, appeared as a co-lead in the short film shady at the Short Short Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA) 2026 in Tokyo — and sat down with Storm Media for an exclusive interview ahead of the screening. She spoke about what four and a half years on Taiwanese sets taught her about performance, how she approached her most challenging role yet, and why her next trip to Taiwan will only happen on one condition.
Short Film shady Screens at SSFF & ASIA 2026
The screening of shady took place on June 6 at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Japan category lineup at SSFF & ASIA 2026, which ran in Tokyo through June 10. Following the screening, director Hiki Yamada and the film's two leads — Kazutake Miyamoto and Runa Nushimo — participated in a Q&A with the audience.
Yamada, born in Tokyo in 1993, began making independent films while studying at Waseda University and has since directed short films, commercial advertisements, and music videos. His co-lead Kazutake Miyamoto, born in Machida, Tokyo in 1996, made his screen debut in the 2018 film Amy Said and has since appeared in numerous productions, including the Netflix Japan series Go to Hell! (地獄に堕ちるわよ), where he played Noboru Murao.
Nushimo, originally from Kanagawa Prefecture, began her career as a fashion and beauty model in Tokyo around 2017. In 2020, she moved to Taiwan on her own, learned Mandarin, and launched an acting career there — appearing in the Netflix Taiwan drama Hear Me (聽海湧), the Disney+ series Taipei Girl's Guide (台北女子図鑑), and the short film Monologue Elevator. After approximately four and a half years in Taiwan, she returned to Japan in 2024.
How Four and a Half Years in Taiwan Reshaped Her as a Performer
In her exclusive interview with Storm Media, Nushimo reflected on how her time in Taiwan fundamentally changed her approach to performance. Before going, she said, she felt she had an overwhelming lack of lived experience — but meeting a wide range of people and navigating an entirely new environment allowed her to understand characters and stories at a depth she hadn't been capable of before.
She also drew a clear distinction between filmmaking cultures in the two countries.
On Taiwanese sets, directors tend to prize an actor's natural atmosphere and instinctive energy, giving performers considerable creative latitude. Japanese productions, by contrast, demand sharp adaptability and a high degree of professionalism, often under tight time constraints.
Taking on a Darker Role in shady
In shady, Nushimo takes on a more complex, shadowy character — a clear departure from the bright, optimistic roles she has typically played. She credited director Yamada with recognizing something understated in her unguarded expressions and gestures, and said she concentrated on staying relaxed in front of the camera so that her naturally cool, quiet side could surface through the character organically.
Back in Japan, She Wants Roles That Carry Hardship
Now re-established in Japan, Nushimo says she wants to draw on her years abroad to pursue characters defined by inner struggle — roles closer in spirit to the one she inhabits in shady. People who meet her tend to assume she is reserved and unambitious, she noted, but the reality is that she moved overseas alone with no Mandarin and no industry connections, and stayed for four and a half years. She hopes people will eventually find that gap interesting.
On a lighter note, she also shared her deep attachment to Taiwanese cuisine — particularly lu rou fan (滷肉飯, braised pork rice). A friend's recommendation led her to a favorite restaurant she kept returning to throughout her time in Taipei.
Her Goal: To Be Invited Back to Taiwan for a Japan–Taiwan Co-Production
Looking ahead, Nushimo has set a clear long-term target: to build her craft in Japan to the point where she is called back to Taiwan specifically for a Japan–Taiwan co-production. During her years there, she watched Japanese actors who were brought over for their proven talent and screen presence, and felt a powerful sense of longing. She has told friends and production contacts in Taiwan that the next time she sets foot on the island, it will be because a co-production has sought her out.
She also expressed hope that Taiwan cinema's distinctive retro-nostalgic aesthetic — currently spreading by word of mouth — will one day spark a genuine Taiwanese film boom in Japan.In a message to her Taiwanese fans, Nushimo acknowledged that she felt she had not fully realized her potential during her time there, and pledged to work hard enough in Japan that Taiwanese productions will seek her out. She asked fans to cheer her on when that day comes.
*Where to Watch * shady is available to stream through the SSFF & ASIA 2026 Online Grand Theaterfrom June 11 to June 30 at: https://www.shortshorts.org/2026/program/shady/ （Related： 43 Aircraft Lost and Counting: The Mounting Cost of America's Air War Against Iran ｜ Latest ）
