(image: AISFF2015 Organizing Committee)
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s largest annual short film festival will open in Seoul next month with 59 titles from 31 countries up for competition, organizers said Tuesday.
The 13th edition of the Asiana International Short Film Festival is scheduled to take place at Cine Cube and Art Nine, both art theaters in Seoul on Nov. 5-10.
The 59 films break down to 48 for international competition and 11 for domestic competition sections. They were chosen from 4,418 and 863 entries, the largest numbers for both categories, according to the organizers.
This year saw more “fresh films from such genres as documentary and animation” despite the conventional strength of film dramas, Korean actor Ahn Sung-ki, executive director of the festival, said during a news conference here.
Three films were chosen to open the event — “Blood Brothers,” an experimental documentary film from Portugal, “Instructions for Use,” a film drama of Italy-Britain co-production, and “A Single Life,” an animated film from the Netherlands. The winner of the international competition category will close the festival.
Ji Se-yeon, executive programmer of the festival, said that the three films, all no longer than seven minutes, are considered to best represent the attractions of short films.
“We selected them on an experimental basis to have guests coming to the opening ceremony feel that way,” she said.
Kang Je-gyu, director of the Korean blockbusters “Swiri” (1999) and “Taegukgi” (2004), will lead the five-member jury. Korean actors Jang Dong-gun and Lee Hak-ju will work as special jury members to choose the best actor or actress among those in the finalists of the Korean competition section.
“I’m nervous because this is my first time to be a jury member but I’m also excited to meet new films,” Jang said. “I’ll watch carefully to find an actor who’s moving my mind.”
The festival also prepared five special programs for screening a total of 25 films recognized in international film festivals such as Cannes or the Short Shorts Film Festival, Japan’s largest short film festival, or the latest from world-acclaimed directors.’
(Yonhap)
