The 8th Seoul Guro International Children's Film Festival Opens on YouTube

A Week-Long Film Festival Under the Slogan "Happy Dreams, Endless Imagination"... Record 1,886 Films from 108 Countries Submitted, Reflecting Increased International Prestige

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] The 8th Seoul Guro International Children's Film Festival will open on July 2.

This year, due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), offline events have been significantly reduced, and various online and non-face-to-face programs will enrich the film festival.

The Seoul Guro International Children's Film Festival, the only children's film festival in Korea, was launched in 2013 to provide children with opportunities to unfold their dreams and hopes through films and to facilitate communication between generations.

Marking its 8th edition this year, the festival was originally scheduled for May but was postponed once due to COVID-19 and will now open in July. Under the slogan "Happy Dreams, Endless Imagination," the week-long film festival will run until the 8th.

The opening ceremony will be held online. The opening declaration and film viewing guide video will be released on the festival's official YouTube channel at 6 p.m. on the 2nd.

The opening film is the animation "Byeol-ui Jeongwon" (The Garden of the Stars) (South Korea), depicting the adventure of an adolescent girl and family love, which will be screened at Guro CGV.

An "online talk show" inviting filmmakers related to children's films is also prepared. Director Yoon Ga-eun and actors Kim Na-yeon and Ahn Ji-ho from the film "Uri Jip" (Our House) will appear to discuss topics such as filming episodes, what inspired them to dream of becoming actors, and the meaning of children's films.

The videos will be uploaded on YouTube in four sessions from the 3rd to the 6th.

This year, the "Drive-in Cinema" (car theater), where viewers can comfortably enjoy films inside their cars, will be introduced for the first time. On the evening of the 4th, at the Anyangcheon Ogeumgyo parking lot, director Baek Seung-hwa's "Omok Sonyeo" (Omok Girl) will welcome the audience. The advance reservation held on the 15th was sold out immediately upon ticket release, showing high interest.

In the competitive section of this festival, 1,886 works from 108 countries were submitted. This is the largest number of submissions ever, increasing by more than 80% compared to last year, reflecting the festival's growing international stature. An 11-member jury composed of domestic and international film professionals will select the winners through online screening. The jury chairperson is actor Kang Shin-il.

During the festival, 187 works that passed the preliminary screening will be shown directly in theaters. The lineup includes 32 feature films and 155 short films screened at Guro Art Valley Arts Theater, Guro Community Center, and Guro CGV. The lineup features unreleased domestic films and award-winning films from overseas festivals, which are usually difficult to see in theaters, raising expectations. Tickets at Guro CGV cost 7,000 KRW on weekdays and 8,000 KRW on weekends, while admission to Guro Art Valley Arts Theater and Guro Community Center is free.

The festival organizers have limited the audience to fewer than 30 people per screening room and made mask-wearing mandatory. Additionally, quarantine managers are assigned to conduct temperature checks for all entrants, prioritizing COVID-19 prevention.

Free online film viewing is also available. Ten official short films can be watched through the festival's official website "Online Screening Room."

The festival will conclude with a closing ceremony on the evening of the 8th. The ceremony, held at Sindorim Technomart, will be attended by a minimal number of awardees and film officials. Instead of a grand event, it will be substantively organized with congratulatory videos from overseas film festival officials, highlights of main competition works, and the awards ceremony. The closing film is the documentary "Beyond Eva's Challenge" (Spain), about a mother struggling for her child suffering from a rare disease.

A Guro District official said, "We expect this year's festival to be a time to reflect on the value and meaning of children's films and to consider the direction forward together," adding, "We hope the Seoul Guro International Children's Film Festival will deliver a message of hope to residents going through difficult times."