Animation and Cartoon Fest Begins Next Week
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By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter
The 10th Seoul International Animation Festival (SICAF), the biggest annual event of its kind in Asia, will kick off its five-day run on May 24 in Seoul.
Bringing together fans of animation films and an exhibition of cartoon works, the event attracts people from within the industry the world over.
Usually held in August to attract summer festival-goers it has been moved forward to May, largely to shed its image as a regional summer festival and allow more industry people to attend.
"But the shift (of the festival period) doesn't mean we're neglecting our festival-goers", Ju Jae-kuk, the festival's program director said. "As the festival will celebrate its 10th edition, we have just come up with a better alternative to satisfy all the people who are involved in the industry, as well as animation and cartoon fans".
Ju emphasized they will offer richer programs and special events for festival fans than previously, and the changes are just part of efforts to make the festival grow and develop in the future.
The event consists of three main parts _ a cartoon exhibition at the Seoul Trade Exhibition Center (SETEC), an animated film festival at CGV Yongsan Theater, and a trade fair _ SICAF Promotion Plan (SPP) _ at SETEC.
In the cartoon exhibition, visitors can see various cartoon characters and popular comic books on display under several different themes. This year, the exhibition especially focuses on showing how original cartoons and comics have been used in many other different genres such as theatrical plays, musicals, movies, games and television dramas.
To celebrate the 120th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and Korea, the festival also showcases a range of French cartoons under the title, "French Cartoon Zone".
During the animation film festival, some 300 domestic and international shorts and features will be screened.
The opening film is the theater version of a popular French animation "Asterix and the Vikings" by Stefan Fjeldmark and Jesper Moller.
"The programs will help audiences to take a glimpse of the current trends in animation in competitive sections as well as the history of animation in retrospective sections", said Jinny Cho, an SICAF programmer. "Not only animation buffs but also family visitors will find the films interesting".
In the main competition sections _ Feature Film, Short Film by Professionals and Students, TV and Commissioned Film and Internet Film _ 163 short and feature animations will be competing for 50 million won prize money. Entries were selected from 1204 submissions from 53 countries.
In the special programs, such acclaimed domestic and international works as "Final Fantasy VII: Advent Child" by Tetsuya Nomura, "Robot Taekwon V" by Kim Chung-gi, and "If You Were Me" by five Korean directors will be screened.
SPP will hold conferences and set up promotional booths on May 24 to 26 at the exhibition center.
The exhibition venue is near Haknyoul Station on subway line 3. Yongsan CGV Theater is near Yongsan Station on subway line 1.
Programmer's Choice
10th Seoul International Cartoon and Animation Festival
When: May 24 to 28
Where: CGV Yongsan Theater and Seoul Trade Exhibition Center
How much: 5,000 won each for a movie and exhibition
Info: Call (02) 3455-8415 or visit http://www.sicaf.or.kr
Programmer's Choice
Some 300 short and feature animation films are to be screened during the Seoul International Cartoon and Animation Festival. As most of you don't probably know what to pick up, here are some tips. The following are some of the animations from the non-competitive sections SICAF programmer Jinny Cho says you shouldn't miss. ㅡ ED.
Goshu, the Cellist (1982)
Directed by Isao Takahata, the animation is about a cellist named Goshu, the poorest member of the orchestra in a small village, but has a strong passion for music. The Japanese director who has a great influence on many animation filmmakers is well known here for his popular works such as "Pom Poko (The Raccoon War)" (1994) and "Grave of the Fireflies" (1988), this is a rare chance to see his early work.
At 11 a.m. on May 24 and at 3 p.m. on May 28
The Book of the Dead (2005)
Directed by Kihachiro Kawamoto, the film is set during Japan's Nara period and revolves around a young woman from a noble house, Iratsume, who encounters a ghost prince. The prince was executed many years before but fell in love with a beautiful princess, whose grand niece is Iratsume.
At 1 p.m. on May 25 and at 3 p.m. on May 27
The Front Line of Art Animation: French Animation
The collections of representative French short animations show the history of French animation from the early 1900s to 1970s. A total 18 films are selected and they will be shown in two series. The first part includes "A Puppet Drama" (1908) and "Mr. Head" (1959) along with seven other works, which screen at 9 p.m. on May 24 and at 3 p.m. on May 26. The second series scheduled at midnight on May 27 and at 5 p.m. on May 28 shows such films as "The Snails" (1965) and "The Thee Inventors" (1979).
Siggraph Best 2005
The program shows the collection of winners from SIGGRAPH 2005, an annual conference on computer graphics which invites animation works rendered and generated by computer graphics from thousands of computer professionals and amateurs. The collected 16 works include "Gopher Broke" from the U.S., "La Migration Bigoudenn" from France and "Cubic Tragedy" from Taiwan.
At 9 p.m. on May 25, 12:30 p.m. on May 26 and at midnight on May 27
Tale of Tales: Yuri Yorstein
The retrospective program presents representative short films by Yuri Norstein, a master of Russian animation who has a great influence on many animation directors. Since his directorial debut in 1968, he has made a series of short films using a multi-plane camera to create the illusion of three-dimensional depth. The program screens the director's five films including his 1979 work "Tale of Tales", is considered as one of the best animation works of all time.
At 7 p.m. on May 24 and at midnight on May 27
Staff Reporter
The 10th Seoul International Animation Festival (SICAF), the biggest annual event of its kind in Asia, will kick off its five-day run on May 24 in Seoul.
Bringing together fans of animation films and an exhibition of cartoon works, the event attracts people from within the industry the world over.
Usually held in August to attract summer festival-goers it has been moved forward to May, largely to shed its image as a regional summer festival and allow more industry people to attend.
"But the shift (of the festival period) doesn't mean we're neglecting our festival-goers", Ju Jae-kuk, the festival's program director said. "As the festival will celebrate its 10th edition, we have just come up with a better alternative to satisfy all the people who are involved in the industry, as well as animation and cartoon fans".
Ju emphasized they will offer richer programs and special events for festival fans than previously, and the changes are just part of efforts to make the festival grow and develop in the future.
The event consists of three main parts _ a cartoon exhibition at the Seoul Trade Exhibition Center (SETEC), an animated film festival at CGV Yongsan Theater, and a trade fair _ SICAF Promotion Plan (SPP) _ at SETEC.
In the cartoon exhibition, visitors can see various cartoon characters and popular comic books on display under several different themes. This year, the exhibition especially focuses on showing how original cartoons and comics have been used in many other different genres such as theatrical plays, musicals, movies, games and television dramas.
To celebrate the 120th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and Korea, the festival also showcases a range of French cartoons under the title, "French Cartoon Zone".
During the animation film festival, some 300 domestic and international shorts and features will be screened.
The opening film is the theater version of a popular French animation "Asterix and the Vikings" by Stefan Fjeldmark and Jesper Moller.
"The programs will help audiences to take a glimpse of the current trends in animation in competitive sections as well as the history of animation in retrospective sections", said Jinny Cho, an SICAF programmer. "Not only animation buffs but also family visitors will find the films interesting".
In the main competition sections _ Feature Film, Short Film by Professionals and Students, TV and Commissioned Film and Internet Film _ 163 short and feature animations will be competing for 50 million won prize money. Entries were selected from 1204 submissions from 53 countries.
In the special programs, such acclaimed domestic and international works as "Final Fantasy VII: Advent Child" by Tetsuya Nomura, "Robot Taekwon V" by Kim Chung-gi, and "If You Were Me" by five Korean directors will be screened.
SPP will hold conferences and set up promotional booths on May 24 to 26 at the exhibition center.
The exhibition venue is near Haknyoul Station on subway line 3. Yongsan CGV Theater is near Yongsan Station on subway line 1.
Programmer's Choice
10th Seoul International Cartoon and Animation Festival
When: May 24 to 28
Where: CGV Yongsan Theater and Seoul Trade Exhibition Center
How much: 5,000 won each for a movie and exhibition
Info: Call (02) 3455-8415 or visit http://www.sicaf.or.kr
Programmer's Choice
Some 300 short and feature animation films are to be screened during the Seoul International Cartoon and Animation Festival. As most of you don't probably know what to pick up, here are some tips. The following are some of the animations from the non-competitive sections SICAF programmer Jinny Cho says you shouldn't miss. ㅡ ED.
Goshu, the Cellist (1982)
Directed by Isao Takahata, the animation is about a cellist named Goshu, the poorest member of the orchestra in a small village, but has a strong passion for music. The Japanese director who has a great influence on many animation filmmakers is well known here for his popular works such as "Pom Poko (The Raccoon War)" (1994) and "Grave of the Fireflies" (1988), this is a rare chance to see his early work.
At 11 a.m. on May 24 and at 3 p.m. on May 28
The Book of the Dead (2005)
Directed by Kihachiro Kawamoto, the film is set during Japan's Nara period and revolves around a young woman from a noble house, Iratsume, who encounters a ghost prince. The prince was executed many years before but fell in love with a beautiful princess, whose grand niece is Iratsume.
At 1 p.m. on May 25 and at 3 p.m. on May 27
The Front Line of Art Animation: French Animation
The collections of representative French short animations show the history of French animation from the early 1900s to 1970s. A total 18 films are selected and they will be shown in two series. The first part includes "A Puppet Drama" (1908) and "Mr. Head" (1959) along with seven other works, which screen at 9 p.m. on May 24 and at 3 p.m. on May 26. The second series scheduled at midnight on May 27 and at 5 p.m. on May 28 shows such films as "The Snails" (1965) and "The Thee Inventors" (1979).
Siggraph Best 2005
The program shows the collection of winners from SIGGRAPH 2005, an annual conference on computer graphics which invites animation works rendered and generated by computer graphics from thousands of computer professionals and amateurs. The collected 16 works include "Gopher Broke" from the U.S., "La Migration Bigoudenn" from France and "Cubic Tragedy" from Taiwan.
At 9 p.m. on May 25, 12:30 p.m. on May 26 and at midnight on May 27
Tale of Tales: Yuri Yorstein
The retrospective program presents representative short films by Yuri Norstein, a master of Russian animation who has a great influence on many animation directors. Since his directorial debut in 1968, he has made a series of short films using a multi-plane camera to create the illusion of three-dimensional depth. The program screens the director's five films including his 1979 work "Tale of Tales", is considered as one of the best animation works of all time.
At 7 p.m. on May 24 and at midnight on May 27
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