If You were Me : Anima Vision (2005) - 별별 이야기 (Byeol-byeol I-ya-gi)

Youth, freedom, and independent animation

2007/09/17 | Source | Permalink |

Indie AniFest 2007 (Chair: Na, Ki-Yong), Korea's one and only independent animation festival, led by independent animation directors, was opened last September 13 at Seoul Animation Center. It will close on September 18. The theme of this year's Indie AniFest is "Breaking the Ice".

For six days: 32 animations in the competition category, and 21 animations in the panorama category

It is a rare opportunity to see such a large number of independent animations at the same time. Starting with Master Jin's Daily Life, the opening work by director Jang, Hyeong-Yoon, the festival offers scores of animations to the movie-going public.

Among the 12 works to be screened are Watermelon Chick by Won, Jong-Sik, which competed at the Annecy Festival this year, and his new work A Millennium Giraffe; El Nino by Im, Aaron, who is well known for his The Navel, which recently premiered in theaters; "The Sense of Space of People Living in a City", a new work by Kim Joon, who participated in "If ...| More

32 finalists including "Watermelon Chick" were named for the Indie-Anifest

2007/08/08 | Source | Permalink |

The Korean Independent Animation Filmmakers Association (KIAFA) announced on Aug. 6 films that made it to the main competition in this year's Indie-Anifest (Chair: Na, Ki-Yong).

Under the slogan, "Breaking the Ice", the Indie-Anifest 2007 selected a total of 32 finalists, 12 in the general category and 20 in the student category.

Among the general category finalists are "Watermelon Chick" by Won Jong-Sik, which competed at the Annecy Festival this year, and his new work "A Millennium Giraffe"; "El Nino" by Lim Ah-ron, who has been well known for his "Mug Travel", which recently premiered in theaters; "The Sense of Space of People Living in a City", a new work by Kim Joon, who participated in "If You were Me : Anima Vision" with The House of the Woman; and the nostalgic "The Eraser Lovers" by Park Ji-Yun.

On the other hand, finalists in the student category include An Unimaginable Event by Kim Ah-Young, who has been highly acclaimed for her work I Want to Invite You, which rece...| More

Feast on "fattened-up" independent animations!

2006/10/30 | Source | Permalink |

Independent animations are rich in experimental spirit, passion, and vision.

The 2006 INDI-ANIFEST (Chair of the Organization Committee: Lee, Yong-Bae), the only independent animation festival in Korea hosted by the Korean Association of Independent Animation (President: Lee, Yong-Bae) and the Korea Culture and Content Agency (KOCCA, CEO: Suh, Byung-Moon) took off from Oct. 27 to 31 at the Seoul Animation Center.

Celebrating its second year, the five-day festival has the theme "Cheon-Go-Ani-Bi", which means blue sky and the fact that independent animations are becoming much better, opened with a grand ceremony at 7 PM on Oct. 27, with its schedule full of exciting events.

This year's festival, in particular, introduced a new section called "Public Animation", which screens a total of 14 Korean and foreign public animations including If You were Me : Anima Vision (Park Jae-Dong, and others). The Public Animation includes those animations that tackle social issues and pursue pu...| More

KOFIC supporting release of small-scale films

2005/11/23 | Source | Permalink |

The Korean Film Council has stepped up its support of small-scale arthouse releases, with three films scheduled to be released in November through the KOFIC-supported ArtPlus Cinema Network.

The three films all drew a positive reception at the recent Pusan International Film Festival, and include multiple prize winner The Unforgiven by YOON Jong-bin, about the experiences of several young men during their obligatory two-year military service; independent feature Five Is Too Many by AHN Seul-gi, about the relationship that develops between five outsiders in Korean society; and Korean-Japanese documentary Annyong, Sayonara by KIM Tae-il and Kumiko KATO, about the efforts of a Korean woman and a Japanese man to sue to Yasukuni Shrine, which holds the remains of several Japanese war criminals.

The films will be screened nationwide through the various venues that have signed up to the ArtPlus Cinema Network, giving audiences a chance to experience smaller, less commercially-oriented f...| More

'If You Were Me' Makes Animated Plea for Tolerance

2005/09/23 | Source | Permalink |

Even for those who avoid animated movies like the plague, "If You Were Me : Anima Vision" might be worth making an exception for. The six animated shorts bundled together here each offer a lively, spirited and unique take on the theme of discrimination and the experience of being different.

The one that perhaps stands out most is "Flesh and Bone" directed by Amy Lee. The Korean title literally translates as "The Chubby Big-Boned Girl" -- a phrase that suggests knockabout comedy but in fact encapsulates the pent-up frustration of the main character, which she modeled on herself. Completely fresh and new, the short gently pillories superficiality and the obsession with outward appearance, and it is its charm that gets its point across to the audience so effectively.

"Be a Human Being" looks at the way young Koreans are barely treated as human beings before they get to university. "Bicycle Trip" focuses on the discrimination experienced by foreign workers in Korea. Soft lines and a ...| More