Stream Classics to Latest K-Movies & Shows at OnDemandKorea

Film fest focuses on directors, horror

The sixth Asiana International Short Film Festival will kick off its six-day run on Nov. 5 at CineCube in Seoul, featuring 70 films from 30 countries.

"This year, we have received a total of 1,723 short films from 69 countries, which made it quite difficult for the jury to decide the finalists, because many of them demonstrated a high level of creativity", said Ahn Sung-ki, chief festival organizer, at a news conference held in Seoul on Tuesday.

The opening films are "Seven Superheroes vs. Monster F" by Korean director Park Jay and "Manon on the Asphalt" by French filmmakers Elizabeth Marre and Olivier Pont.

"Seven Superheroes", a world premiere, involves seven people with supernatural abilities who happen to live in the same building, pretending to be normal. When a monster attacks, they join forces to fight it off, but things begin to change unpredictably after their brief victory. "Manon on the Asphalt" features a female protagonist who has an accident while riding home on her bicycle. As she sits in the street waiting for the ambulance, an out-of-body experience lets her see her friends one by one, offering an engaging bird's eye view of the world.

Toward the end of the festival, the jury will select the winner in the international competition section, which will be the festival's official closing film. Fifty-two films are currently competing for the top festival award.

One of the key programs at the festival is "AISFF In the Air Program", a selection of short films that will be screened on Asiana flights -- an alternative distribution channel for innovative filmmakers and a new revenue source. This program, started in 2006, has been successful, as distributors and directors have paid attention to the short films on inflight screenings.

Yoon Jong-chan, a jury member, said that audiences will be able to enjoy high-quality short films in a wide range of genres ranging from thought-provoking dramas to heart-pounding thrillers. "We will try to discover promising filmmakers who demonstrate strong potential for creative ideas", Yun said.

Kim Hye-soo attended the press conference as a member of the jury, attracting strong media attention. Kim, who recently starred in "Modern Boy", said she felt honored to be on the jury for the festival. "This is the second time that I have joined a short film festival as a member of the jury, and I hope I can find more Korean short films that have great potential", she said.

Aside from the main international competition section, the festival has three special programs. First, the Focus on Directors section will feature short films from both well-known international filmmakers and up-and-coming directors. The second special program, titled Shorts with Theme: Nightmare in November, will screen horror features that the organizers said will leave lasting images. The third special section -- Mix Planet: Bonjour, France -- will introduce new short films from French filmmakers.

For further information about the film festival, which runs through Nov. 10, visit http://www.aisff.org

By Yang Sung-jin

Advertisement

❎ Try Ad-free