Seoul Animal Film Festival Highlights Animals in Disasters... 47 Films from 28 Countries to Be Screened

The 8th SAFF Opens on October 28

Poster of the 8th Seoul Animal Film Festival. Provided by Seoul Animal Film Festival

The 8th Seoul Animal Film Festival (SAFF) announced on September 30 that it will be held from October 28 to November 3 at the Korean Film Archive, Indie Space, and Purplay.

This year, under the theme "At Last, the World," a total of 47 films from 28 countries will be screened. The opening film is "The Coriolis Effect," directed by Petr Lom and Corinne van Egeraat. The film, which explores the connection and coexistence between humans and animals, will have its Asian premiere at the festival. Both directors will visit Korea to attend the opening ceremony and a masterclass. The closing film is the documentary "Small Steps: Kara Sanctuary Documentary" by director Kim Yeji.

The main issue addressed this year is disasters and animals. In the section "With Animals - The Age of Disaster and Multi-Species Communities," the festival will shed light on the hidden suffering of animals amid the climate crisis, war, industry, and pandemics. It will explore responsibility and ethics in the age of disaster, with backgrounds including desertification in West Africa, the war in Ukraine, wildfires in California, and the Fukushima nuclear accident.

The short film competition received a record-breaking 823 entries from 91 countries. Of these, 17 films were selected for the finals and will be screened for audiences. The jury consists of poet Kim Bokhee, visual artist and curator Kim Hwayong, and film director Jang Yunmi.

Since 2020, SAFF has promoted the protection of animal rights in films by producing animal filming guidelines and conducting monitoring and research. This year's focus section will screen the film "Victory," featuring companion dog Bonggu, and share ethical practices in animal filming.

The special program "Animal Turn: Animals in Film History" will explore the animal turn in film history through works by Robert Bresson, Bela Tarr, Chris Marker, Maya Deren, and Agnieszka Holland. In addition, there will be side events such as issue forums, an opening film masterclass, and SAFF Talks.

Programmer Hwang Miyojo said, "Animals are both members and participants in the communities that make up the world together with humans," adding, "Through this year's films, I hope you will see how the way we think about and feature animals can change cinema."