Empress Chung wins SICAF grand prize

The 8th edition of the Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival (SICAF) wrapped up on August 10 with the presentation of its grand prize to feature film Empress Chung.

A co-production between North and South Korea, the 2D animated film retells the famous Korean folk tale of "Shim Chung", about a daughter who helps her blind father regain his sight. The film was directed by animation veteran Nelson SHIN, with much of the drawing done in North Korea.

Other major winners at this year's event included the British film Jo Jo in the Stars in the short film category, French film Pat and Stanley in the TV & commissioned film category, and local film Life is Recycle in the internet animation category.

This year's festival, together with its associated events related to comics, drew an estimated 320,000 audience members, including 45,000 to special outdoor screenings on the Seoul City Plaze in front of the City Hall.

With the close of the event, a selection of the festival's best offerings will be screened in Megabox Theaters in Busan (Aug. 19-21) and Daegu (Aug 26-29), offering anime fans in regional areas the chance to catch the latest films.


2004 SICAF award winners

FEATURE FILMS:

Grand Prize
Empress Chung (South/North Korea), dir. Nelson SHIN

Special Distinction
Back to Gaya (Germany), dir. Lenard KRAWINKEL


SHORT FILMS:

Grand Prize,
Jo Jo in the Stars (UK), dir. Marc CRASTE

Special Distinction (KOFIC prize)
Stormy Night (Canada), dir. Michele LEMIEUX

ASIFA Korea Prize for Experimental & Artistic Film
Fast Film (Austria), dir. Virgil WIDRICH

Debut Prize (Hanho Prize)
Bologee Story - Made by Noodles (Korea), dir. KIM Jin-man

Special Mention, Debut Prize
Lloyd in the Corner (UK), dir. Nicolas LOSSE

Special Jury Award
The Way (Korea), dir. JUNG Min-young / Le Regulateur (France), dir. Philippe GRAMMATICOPOULOS

Audience Choice (Woori Bank Prize)
Bologee Story - Made by Noodles (Korea), dir. KIM Jin-man


TV & COMMISSIONED FILMS

Best TV Animation (KAAA Prize)
Pat and Stanley (France), dir. Pierre COFFIN

Best Commissioned Film (Sipro Prize)
Englishow (Korea), dir. HONG Suk-hwa / Snacktime (France), dir. Gobelin's Student Team

Special Jury Prize
Blues Story (France), dir. Francois ROUX


INTERNET ANIMATION

Best Internet Animation
Life is Recycle (Korea), dir. PARK Hyung-min and PARK Jun-su

Netizen's Choice
Dream a Dream (Korea), dir. LEE Ji-soo / Girl's Dream (Korea), dir. YEOM Seung-il