NEWS

On Saturday, May 10, 2025, the premiere screening of the short film Veil, set at APU, was held on campus, drawing an audience of approximately 200 people. Following the screening, an on-stage greeting was held featuring director Kentaro Hagiwara, lead actor Omi Natsuki, actor Katsuya Maiguma (who played a faculty member), and an international student character played by Jessie Priscilla. The guests shared behind-the-scenes stories and their impressions of APU and Beppu.

Director Hagiwara explained that while foreign countries are often associated with the West in Japan, Veil aimed to depict diversity beyond Western cultures. He shared that APU, where students from diverse backgrounds learn together, was the perfect setting for the film. He also discussed the film’s central theme—microaggressions, a form of unconscious discrimination—and remarked that invisible aspects like someone’s feelings or background are often hidden behind a "veil." He emphasized the importance of engaging with others using imagination and empathy.

At the end of the screening, singer Leina, who performs the film’s theme song, made a surprise appearance and gave the first live performance of the song “Veil” with her beautiful vocals. The venue was filled with warmth and excitement, with the cast responding to cheers from the audience by forming heart signs with their hands.

Veil was produced as the sixth installment of the Beppu Short Movie Project, in which some of Japan’s top directors create original short films set in Beppu City. Director Hagiwara wrote the script with APU as its setting. The film was shot on campus in May 2024 with the help of around 20 volunteer student cast and crew members, along with approximately 100 students, faculty, and staff participating as extras.

Following the APU premiere, the film is now being shown at Beppu Bluebird Theater, a local mini-theater in Beppu.