BLOSSOM Takes Grand Prize in Korean Shorts Competition
Alice in Earnestland, a graduation project from the
Korean Academy of Film Arts, was described by jury member and noted East Asian film critic Tony Rayns as ‘Funny, shocking and sometimes cruel, this film has enough invention and energy to take your breath away.’ Other award winners in the Korean competition were
RHEE Jin-woo’s
Stay with Me, which picked up a Special Mention Award from the jury and
PARK Hyuck-jee’s
With or Without You and
KIM Hyeon-seung’s
To Be Sixteen, which picked up CGV Arthouse’s Distribution Support Prize and Upcoming Project Prize, respectively. The Netpac Prize went to
AHN Seul-ki’s
Under the Sun. Both
To Be Sixteen and
Under the Sun were graduation projects from Dankook University.
Beyond Poet on a Business Trip, other winners in the International Competition included a Best Picture Prize for Ricardo Silva’s Navajazo from Mexico, a Special Jury Prize for Lukas Valenta Rinner’s Parabellum, an Argentina-Austria-Uruguay co-production, and a Special Mention Award for Esme Madra’s performance in Until I Lose My Breath, from Turkey’s Emine EMEL BALCI.
This year’s JIFF will conclue on Saturday, May 9th.