51st Seoul Independent Film Festival Opens at Record Scale After Overcoming Budget Crisis

From Zero Government Support to Financial Revival: A Miraculous Comeback
127 Films to Be Screened... New Short Film Initiative Sponsored by Byun Woo-seok

(From left) Kim Donghyun, Chair of the Seoul Independent Film Festival Programming Committee; Mo Eunyeong, Executive Committee Chair; actor Kwon Haehyo. Provided by Seoul Independent Film Festival

The 51st Seoul Independent Film Festival, regarded as the cradle of Korean independent cinema, will be held for ten days from November 27 to December 5. Last year, the festival faced a crisis due to the complete elimination of government funding, but solidarity among filmmakers and restoration measures by the National Assembly have enabled financial recovery and the festival’s normal operation.

On November 5, the Seoul Independent Film Festival Executive Committee held a press conference at Art Nine in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, announcing this year’s slogan, “For Films to Come, We Need You,” along with the main programs. Mo Eunyeong, the newly appointed Executive Chair, stated, “With the restoration of the festival’s budget, we are able to hold the event as planned. We aim to broaden the scope of Korean independent cinema with the largest number of submissions and screenings in the festival’s history.”

This year, a total of 1,805 films were submitted, including 215 feature films and 1,590 short films, an increase of 101 entries compared to last year. The official selection comprises 127 films-43 feature films and 84 short films-which will be screened at CGV Apgujeong and CGV Cheongdam Cine City in Seoul.

Amid a slump in the commercial film market, the number of submissions has significantly exceeded the recent four-year average of 1,550, driven by a rise in directorial debuts and low-budget productions. The festival organizers commented, “Statistics on independent films serve as a barometer for the Korean film production ecosystem. This year’s increase demonstrates that the creative momentum remains strong.”

The opening film, “To Those Unrelated,” is a collaborative project directed by Kim Taeyang, Son Guyong, Lee Mirang, and Lee Jongsu. This work is a series of short films in which four directors each use their imagination to reconstruct the lost final scene of “The Widow” (1955), the only film left by Korea’s first female director, Park Namok. The project reinterprets a film from the past through a contemporary lens.

In the main competition, 12 feature films and 35 short films have been selected. The feature film jury consists of programmer Nam Dongcheol, director Lee Eonhee, and actor Jeon Yeobeen, while the short film jury includes directors Kim Miyoung, Park Kyungkeun, and Yoo Jinmok. The “New Choice” section, which focuses on discovering new directors, will be unified around feature films starting this year, shining a spotlight on the next generation of directors poised to enter the commercial and art film industries.

(From left) Actor Kwon Hae-hyo, Kim Dong-hyun, Program Chair, Directors Son Guyong and Lee Jongsu, Actors Park Bongjun, Ha Sungguk, Han Saeyeon, Hwang Hyunbin, and Executive Chair Mo Eunyeong. Provided by Seoul Independent Film Festival

The “Actor Project: 60-Second Monologue Festival,” planned by actor Kwon Hae-hyo, marks its eighth edition this year, attracting a record 7,757 applicants and a competition rate of 323 to 1. The 24 finalists will take the stage at CGV Cheongdam Cine City on December 1, with six of them receiving cash prizes.

Kwon Hae-hyo commented, “Having been with the festival for 25 years, I want to serve as a bridge to introduce new actors to directors.”

A new short film support program, “SIFF X Byun Wooseok: Shorts on 2025,” sponsored by actor Byun Woo-seok, has also been launched. Centered on the theme of “love,” the contest received 483 script submissions. Byun Woo-seok will personally participate in the judging, and the selected works will be screened during the festival.

This year’s festival will feature a variety of programs, including “Festival Choice,” the “Independent Film Archive Exhibition,” and a masterclass by Japanese director Sho Miyake. Executive Chair Mo stated, “We aim to establish the festival as a celebration that documents the present of Korean independent cinema and connects future creators and audiences.”

The Seoul Independent Film Festival has been co-hosted by the Korean Film Council and the Association of Korean Independent Film & Video since 2001 as a public-private partnership. Last year, the “Independent Film Festival Support Project” was abolished in the government budget proposed by the Yoon Suk Yeol administration, resulting in the complete elimination of the 400 million won subsidy. However, following protests from filmmakers and restoration measures by the National Assembly, support was resumed this year through a supplementary budget.

Paek Jaeho, Chair of the Association of Korean Independent Film & Video, stated, “This is not just about the recovery of one festival, but a testament to the value of independent film as a cultural asset of Korea.”