Apparition

Apparition is a 15-minute Japanese-language surreal comedy about the Virgin Mary appearing in a small Tokyo izakaya. A Canada/Japan/Mexico co-production, it was shot entirely in Japan with a Japanese cast and co-producer.

The film blends Latin American magical realism with Japanese everyday life, exploring how belief transforms across cultures, and how humor can coexist with the sacred.

It is the debut narrative short of Mexican-Canadian filmmaker Cuauhtémoc Velázquez, made after fifteen years of creative block and open heart surgery in 2023.

The film received an Honourable Mention at Hollywood ShortsFest and is currently on the international festival circuit. Following the screening there will be a Q&A with the director and a brief creative exercise.