The VR film IF YOU SEE A CAT (2025 / Directed by Atsushi Wada) won two awards in the XR category at the Kaohsiung Film Festival held in Kaohsiung, Taiwan: the top honor, the "XR Golden Fireball Award," and the special "XR Spark Award."

[About the Kaohsiung Film Festival and the Award Background]

Held annually in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, the Kaohsiung Film Festival is one of Asia's leading international film festivals. In recent years, it has established itself as Asia's largest XR (VR/AR/MR) festival, bringing together cutting-edge digital technology and immersive works with exceptional storytelling from around the world.

Out of 29 nominated works this year, IF YOU SEE A CAT was selected for the top "XR Golden Fireball Award" for its excellence in the judging criteria of "emotion, story, and art."

Additionally, it won the "XR Spark Award," a newly established award introduced in 2024 determined by representatives from diverse fields. This award is presented after a multi-faceted evaluation based on "themes, content, production quality, experience, and recommendation value," viewed from a broad perspective extending beyond the XR domain.

XR Spark Award Jury Comments:
https://www.kff.tw/content/2026kff-XR-Spark02

Film Festival Official Website:
https://www.kff.tw/

[Director Atsushi Wada's Acceptance Speech]

"I am so thrilled to receive the Golden Fireball Award at the Kaohsiung Film Festival! If You See A Cat was a challenge filled with countless things I had never done before personally, making it a project born through considerable labor. Receiving such an award at the Kaohsiung Film Festival, which commands high attention in the XR sector, is a huge honor and encouragement. Since this is a work I could not have created alone, I want to say 'congratulations' to all the team members who helped bring it to life together with me."

[About IF YOU SEE A CAT]

IF YOU SEE A CAT is the first VR film by world-renowned short animation director Atsushi Wada. Based on meticulous interviews with stakeholders, the film addresses various challenges inherent in Japan's psychiatric medical system. Director Wada's unique animation style is fused with the immersive nature of VR to bring this story to life. Beginning with its nomination at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, the film has received awards and official screenings at 22 international film festivals, earning immense international acclaim.
The featured Japanese cast stars acclaimed actor Ryuya Wakaba making his voice acting and VR debut as the protagonist "Naoki." Additionally, veteran actress Ryoko Yui takes on her first VR role as the mother, portraying a family struggling and suffering with conflict.

▼ Now Available
Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4458990/IF_YOU_SEE_A_CAT/
Meta: https://www.meta.com/experiences/if-you-see-a-cat/25694940126828357/

[About Director Atsushi Wada]

Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1980. Studied film at Osaka Kyoiku University, the Image Forum Institute of Moving Image, and Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School. He began creating animation around 2002, focusing heavily on themes of "pauses" (ma) and "pleasing movements."

[Production Overview]

- Title: IF YOU SEE A CAT (Japanese: 猫が見えたら)
- Runtime: Approx. 37 minutes
- Genre: VR Animation
- Planning & Production: Kodansha VR Lab
- Production: Kodansha
- Completion: October 2025

[Synopsis]

It is said that 1 in 20 people in Japan receives treatment for some form of mental illness. The reality of psychiatric care in Japan harbors various problems arising from historical contexts, the inherent difficulty of psychiatric treatment itself, and structural distortions within the medical system—factors that can potentially hinder the recovery of those suffering from mental illness.

In this film, a young boy who sees hallucinations of his deceased cat is diagnosed with a mental illness solely because "he can see a cat," leading to his hospitalization and treatment. Within the VR experience, the player assumes the perspective of the hallucinatory cat, observing what the boy experiences in the hospital. Through this close-up perspective, viewers can viscerally feel the problems of psychiatric care, the relationship between mother and child, and what salvation truly means for the boy, making it a uniquely powerful VR experience.