The finalists for the Competition Section of the 40th Busan International Short Film Festival (BISFF) were announced on February 24th.
The festival’s submission period ran from November of last year to January of this year, and 3,582 films from 113 countries were submitted for the International Competition, which was an increase of 2 countries and 339 films compared to the previous year. The majority of the films submitted were dramas, which made up 69% of the total. Documentaries, animated films, and experimental films made up 9%, 9%, and 10% of the total.
The selection committee of the 40th Busan International Short Film Festival, which consists of seventeen members (13 from Korea and 4 from abroad), narrowed down the entries to 40 films from the International Competition and 20 films for the Korean Competition after a rigorous selection process that lasted for several months beginning late last year.
The selection committee announced, “In the Korean Competition category this year, dramas made up the majority of submissions, but the selection committee came across a few distinctive animated films with unique perspectives. The selection committee also saw an increase in the submissions dealing with their characters’ concealed personal emotions, hidden social problems (which short films are best suited to investigate), as well as an individual or a family’s personal issues, or a particular moment when their relationship changes. This appears to be the result of the COVID-19 pandemic having ended and individuals seeking solace by mending ties with their family or community after their lives were shattered by the unprecedented pandemic.”
The selection committee saw a range of exceptional films submitted to the International Competition that present original and singular perspectives as well as various aspects of the world discovered through intensive speculation, recreating the universal values of life. With their limitless subjects and narratives, unique cinematic rhythms and styles, and powerful and stunning sound design, the selection committee was able to recognize that audiences may experience a range of different cinematic worlds through these experimental short films.
The submitted films showed that digital film production has both accelerated and segmented and that films and new media have been integrated and developed, resulting in the development of a new and remarkable cinematic aesthetic.
“These films, produced in various countries across the globe, will be screened in Busan, recreating different times and places, analyzing the characteristics of various regions, exploring the challenges that humanity faces as a community, and looking at varied situations that individuals encounter,” the selection committee said.
The selection committee wrapped up the selection of the competition and sent gratitude and love to all of the filmmakers who submitted to our festival. Also, they said, “the Busan International Short Film Festival (BISFF) takes its job as a platform for showcasing Korean and foreign short films both domestically and overseas very seriously. BISFF will continue to do everything in its power to discover short films on various subjects, encourage the creation of creative short films, and exhibit them to a broader audience. BISFF will continue to be a film festival that shines a light on filmmakers’ works, like a lighthouse lighting gently but steadily in the midst of a huge storm.”
The finalists will be screened at the festival, and a total of ten prizes in the Competition Sections, including the Grand Prix, the Excellence Award, the Jury Award, and the Audience Award, as well as KRW 26,000,000 in prize money, will be awarded. Furthermore, because BISFF is Korea’s first OSCAR® qualifying film festival, the Grand Prix winners in both the International and Korean Competitions will be nominated for Academy Awards in the short film categories. The list of finalists can be found on the festival’s official website (www.bisff.org).
The 40th BISFF will take place at the BNK Busan Bank Art Cinema Corner Theater and Busan Cinema Center over the course of seven days from April 25 to May 1st, 2023.
Several commemorative events are planned to mark the 40th anniversary, including special screenings of previous winning films, an exhibition showcasing the BISFF’s history, and a homecoming day.
