Seoul Metro is accepting public submissions for the 17th Seoul Metro International Film Festival (SMIFF), open to citizens interested in subways and ultra-short films.
The submission period runs from Wednesday through Aug. 12.
Now in its 17th year, the festival is a lifestyle film festival co-hosted by Seoul Metro and the Seoul International Ultra-Short Film Festival (chairman Seo Myeong-su). It uses subway spaces in Seoul and Barcelona as its stage, allowing commuters and residents to enjoy cinema naturally as part of their daily routines.
Submissions are accepted in three categories: international competition, domestic competition, and the newly established "Safe Subway Culture" special competition. The former ESG special competition has been redesigned into the new safety-focused category, which aims to spotlight works that inspire citizens to embrace and practice a culture of safety.
All entries must be 210 seconds long and structured so that the content can be understood through visuals alone — without sound — to allow for screening aboard trains.
Submissions can be made through the online platform FilmFreeway.
Filmmakers who need to shoot inside Seoul Metro facilities for their entries must apply to a Seoul Metro coordinator at least five days before their planned shoot date. Filming is permitted from Wednesday through Aug. 11, within limits that ensure public safety and uninterrupted train operations.
A panel of experts will select 50 finalists — 20 from the international competition, 15 from the domestic competition and 15 from the Safe Subway Culture special competition — to be announced on the festival's website on Sept. 1.
Finalist works will be available to watch from Sept. 24 through Oct. 23 via the festival's website, destination display boards on subway lines 5 through 8, the media board at Gwanghwamun Station and YouTube.
Six winning works will be selected through a combination of online audience voting and jury review. Winners will share a total prize pool of 10 million won ($6,750), and their films will be screened at the Barcelona Subway Film Festival.
Seoul Metro's ongoing short-film production support project, "E-CUT for Directors," continues this year. The E-CUT screenplay competition, open to rookie directors, closed July 17, and finalists will be selected after review. Singer and actor Solji will participate as a performer in this year's E-CUT production.
Announcements regarding the final E-CUT production selection and other festival information will be posted on the Seoul Metro International Film Festival website on a rolling basis.
Solji is also set to appear in Seoul Metro's "Subway Safety Song" video this year, delivering subway safety guidelines to the public in an approachable way.
"The International Subway Film Festival is a signature urban cultural festival where citizens can enjoy film and culture as part of everyday life in the subway — the space closest to their daily routines," said Lee Hyeon-u, head of public relations at Seoul Metro. "We hope the new Safe Subway Culture special competition will channel citizens' creative ideas into spreading a culture of safety, and that these short but deeply felt 210-second stories will move audiences."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
