In selecting the films submitted to the 35th Busan International Short Film Festival, the 20 members of the preliminary jury, 15 people from Korea and 5 from abroad, followed strict guidelines for the past three months. A total of 968 films went through two elimination processes, resulting in 20 films selected for Korean Competition.

Much like in International Competition, there was a clean lean towards fiction with 74% of entries, followed by animation (15%), experimental (7%) and documentary (4%). There was however a notable increase in number of animated films compared to previous editions.

Korean short films deal mostly with school life, family or relationship with others, and with difficulties in employment, which are young people’s and Korean society’s nowadays problems. This year, feelings of frustration towards employment and society particularly stand out, as well as various perspectives on feminism. Overall, Korean society as depicted in short films appears to be darker and more desolate than ever; and the films tend to focus on issues that are ignored or forgotten by the public. However, the fact that many submitted films lean towards a repetitive genre shows a lack of concern in questioning for new answers through the films, a task that we actually should all be put to.

The 35th Busan International Short Film Festival's preliminary jury for the Korean Competition followed two standards in order to select the finalists: "Short Filmness" and "Issue Awareness".

Firstly, the notion of "Short Filmness" applies to movies which define their own principles without comparison with feature films but, instead, by finding their own independence, and their own voice, in the short format. Based on this, the jury paid greater attention to outstanding aesthetic, philosophical and artistic perspectives by singling out examples of mise-en-sc?ne, scriptwriting and cinematography that are specific to short films.

Meanwhile, "Issue Awareness" describes another effective characteristic of short films which is to reflect on contemporary politics, society and economics in order to draw a certain universality out of them. Whether the films would point towards these issues directly or indirectly, this is the second standard that the jury had to consider.

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all who have submitted their films. The members of the 35th Busan International Short Film Festival's preliminary jury delightedly fulfilled the task to review the films despite their dramatically increased number, and it was for them an unforgettable and precious experience.

Thank you.

The Preliminary Jury of the 35th Busan International Short Film Festival

TITLE (English)

TITLE (Original)

Director

September

9월

Shin Nari

The Room the Past Lives

과거가 머무르는 방

Lee Myeongjae

The Villain Who I Love

내가 사랑하는 악당

Pae Woori

Different, Night

다른, 밤

Kim Jungin

동구 밖

Kim Hyuntak

A Silent Dancing

말 없이 추는 춤

Gim Yura

Pollock

명태

Li Hongmei

Barter

물물교환

Kim Dayoung

Semi Basement

반지하

Min Hyunki

Ordinary People

보편적 사람들

Kim Moonkyeong

Night of Hunt

사냥의 밤

Jang Eunju

A White Dog Over the Fog

안개 너머 하얀 개

Jung Seunghee

Movie Only for Me

오직 나만을 위한 영화

Lee Euisu

A Border Line

철원에서

Kim Hyejeong

첫 날

Kim Yoonji

Time of Your Name

타이름의 시간

Kim Shinhee

Delivery Service

택배

Park Seungwon

Tender & Witch

텐더 앤 윗치

Jeon Dookwan

Tell Me Vision

텔미비전

Lim Jongmin

Scar

흉

Choi Jungyeon

Back Yoonseuk

Filmmaker

Choi Yongseok

Chief of Busan Independent Film Association

Daniel Ebner

Artistic Director of VIS Vienna Independents Shorts

Jo Jihoon

Programmer of Muju Film Festival

Jung Seongwook

Cinematographer

Jung Seungeon

Researcher at PNU Film Institute

Kang Byunghwa

Screenwriter

Kim Eunjung

Film Critic

Kim Kiman

Film Critic

Kim Sejin

Film Critic

Kim Younggwang

Film Critic

Kim Youngjo

Filmmaker

Lee Sanghoon

Programmer of BISFF

Marcelo Alderete

Programmer of Mar del Plata International Film Festival

Oh Minwook

Filmmaker

Philip Cheah

Film Critic, NETPAC Advisory Committee

Pip Chodorov

Filmmaker

S?bastien Simon

Programmer of BISFF

Shin Dongseok

Filmmaker

Yoo Sunhee

Programmer of JeonBuk Independent Film Festival