Sept. 24–Oct. 23: ultra-short films screen on station monitors and online; 43 finalists selected from 1,709 entries across 56 countries; six winners decided by public vote
The 17th Seoul Metro International Subway Film Festival opens Thursday and runs through Oct. 23.
Co-hosted by Seoul Metro and the Seoul International Ultra-Short Film Festival, the event counts CGV, Häagen-Dazs, the Hong Kong AI Film Festival and TapNow among its sponsors, and maintains a partnership with the Barcelona Subway Film Festival.
A total of 1,709 entries from 56 countries were submitted this year. After a jury review, 43 films advanced to the final round — 20 in the international competition, 15 in the domestic competition and eight in the safety special competition.
New this year is the "Safe Subway Culture Special Competition" category, introduced to raise awareness of subway safety and promote a culture of mutual consideration. The section features works that examine everyday subway etiquette from a range of perspectives, inviting commuters to reflect on safety and courtesy in their daily lives.
All 43 finalists will be screened from Thursday through Oct. 23 on destination-display boards inside subway stations, on the festival's official website and through Seoul Metro's social media channels. Domestic competition entries will also run on a media board at Gwanghwamun Station.
As in previous years, festival posters displayed throughout all Seoul Metro stations carry a QR code, allowing riders to watch the films directly on their phones.
Six winners — one from the international competition, three from the domestic competition and two from the safety special competition — will be chosen from the 43 finalists through a public online vote on the festival website. The safety special competition category will weight the jury score and the public vote equally at 50 percent each. Online voting runs from Thursday through Oct. 21.
Voters will be entered into a prize draw for an iPad, a Dyson Supersonic hair dryer, CGV movie tickets and Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
The six winning films will share a total prize pool of 10 million won ($7,220). The winners will also be screened simultaneously in Barcelona, Spain, giving filmmakers an opportunity to reach an international audience.
The festival's special program "E-Cut: For the Director" offers another highlight. The initiative is designed to nurture and discover emerging filmmakers while raising the festival's profile. It supports the production of a 10-minute short film set on the Seoul subway, and this year's selected project is "Hahanga," directed by Jeon Yeong-hyeon.
"Hahanga" portrays the anxious scramble of young people chasing homeownership amid a stock-market frenzy — and the bittersweet portrait of youth that lies behind the laughter as their hopes slide toward the lower limit.
Singer and actor Solji appears in this year's E-Cut production as a volunteer talent contribution. Key scenes set inside the subway were filmed with production support from Seoul Metro.
"We are grateful for the continued interest and support shown for the Seoul Metro International Subway Film Festival as it marks its 17th year," said Lee Hyeon-u, head of public relations at Seoul Metro. "We hope that 210 seconds of cinema encountered on the subway becomes a special moment for commuters to pause and enjoy amid their busy lives."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
