Busan International Short Film Festival comes one step closer

Press release for the conclusion of the 34th Busan International Short Film Festival

Six days of the 34th Busan international short film festival has come to an end. Designed to come "one step closer" to the audience, the 34th Busan International Short Film Festival had a total of 161 films from 43 countries screened 74 times. There was participation by 341 filmmakers at venues such as 30 Talks with the Audience and one Program Guide (film viewing guide), and an audience numbering 7,166.

The core programs of the competitive Busan International Short Film Festival were the international and Korean competition sections. Films selected for screening broke through odds of 89 to 1, bringing excited participation by filmmakers and film watchers alike.

Running parallel with film screenings were various programs -- Canada Spotlight, Asian Short Films Open Talk, 2017 Busan International Transmedia Forum, BISFF Talk: Duet -- that received great response from not only the audience, but also filmmakers and professionals in each field. The Prism Program, which showcases films by world renowned master directors, was very well received by film lovers, by introducing the film Bible, and holding a talk session with director Mark Rappaport who visited our film festival.

One of the main programs of BISFF, Guest Country: Canada, was represented by the Canadian Embassy in Korea and the Quebec Representation in Korea, along with seven filmmakers and 4 artists from Canada. They participated in the Opening Ceremony, Canada Spotlight, and BISFF Talk: Duet, to present the audience with the past and present cultures of Canada.

The newly reinforced "Family Short" program was met by over 1,000 children, who were able to experience new cultures through family shorts and talks with the audience. The "Asian Shorts" program, which introduces the various Chinese films from Taiwan, was visited by many Asian filmmakers who participated in talks with the audience and in the Asian Shorts Open Talk, sharing the beauty only Asian short films can provide.

Alongside all this, the New Media Experiential Exhibition provided the visitors to the film festival with new things to see and experience. Visitors were highly entertained by The Canadian Film Center Media Lab, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, and Dong-Eui University, who collaborated together to showcase the future of film technology.

In the six days From April 25 to 30, BISFF was truly able to come "one step closer" to becoming a platform of shorts for everyone, young and old alike.