Seoul Metro International Subway Film Festival (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Korea Bizwire) – Seoul Metro announced on August 6 that it will hold the 15th Seoul Metro International Subway Film Festival (SMIFF) from August 29 to September 25.
The festival, co-organized by Seoul Metro and the Seoul International Extreme-Short Image & Film Festival, with sponsorship from Shinhan Card, continues to showcase ultra-short films in an unconventional setting.
This year’s competition attracted 1,669 submissions from 59 countries. The festival jury selected 50 finalists, including 20 for the international competition, and 15 each for the domestic competition and ESG special category.
Building on last year’s change, the maximum film length remains at 210 seconds, up from the original 90-second limit, allowing for more complex narratives.
The selected films will be screened on monitors throughout Seoul’s subway stations on lines 1 to 8 and on the media board in Gwanghwamun Square. Viewers can also access the films via the festival’s website, Seoul Metro’s social media channels, and QR codes on festival posters.
Winners will be determined through public voting on the festival’s website following the opening.
The festival’s special E-CUT program, which supports the production of 10-minute short films featuring the Seoul subway, selected two projects: “Love Letter for a Dog” (unofficial translation) by Han Hye-in and “Pinky Promise” (unofficial translation) by Kim Tae-woo. Actresses Han Sun-hwa and Chae Jung-an have volunteered their talents for these productions.
In a press release, Seoul Metro’s public relations team expressed hope that “these 210-second films encountered unexpectedly throughout the subway will serve as moments of respite, bringing small joys and leisure to people’s daily lives.”
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
