The 12th Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival said it will feature 137 animations from 30 countries, finalizing the lineup for the country's biggest event where cartoonists and animators from around the world show off their artistic talent.
The organizing committee said a total of 1,307 movies from 63 countries have competed for the final entry list, demonstrating a growing interest about the festival. In addition to Korean flicks, the number of foreign applicants from Europe, America and Asia has surged.
The five-day festival will kick off on May 21, with events set to be hosted at two separate venues. The films will be screened at Lotte Cinema near Konkuk University and other events related to conventions and seminars will be held at the Seoul Trade Exhibition & Convention.
The organizers said the scale of SICAF is now nearing to other international animation events in Europe and Japan, which means local animation lovers will be able to enjoy high-quality full features and shorts from around the world this year.
The finalists include award-winning animations such as "The Peace Sister" from Britain and "Ark" from Poland. Canada's "Madam Tutli-Putli" is also a must-watch film, demonstrating a high level of technique.
"European applicants continued to carve out a bigger share than other regions, while more works from Southeast Asia and South America are coming to Seoul in May", said Chu Hye-jin, a SICAF programmer. "In the full feature category, there are excellent European films that will offer a rare opportunity for local viewers to take a look at the trends there".
This year, the festival is hosting the digital cartoon competition section, whose prize money for the 13 award-winning works totals at $35,000.
SICAF, established in 1995, has received the formal recognition as an animation event from the Association International Du Film d'Animation in 2005, and is supported by the Culture Ministry. For further information, call (02) 3455-8407 or visit Open the link
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