[비즈한국] The Seoul International Environmental Film Festival, considered one of the top three environmental film festivals in the world, kicked off its 22nd edition on the 5th at the Yonsei University Centennial Hall in Sinchon, Seoul, with an opening ceremony and a screening of the opening film, "Can I Get a Witness?"
The theme for this year's festival is "Ready, Climate, Action!" It embodies the identity of "raising awareness about the severity of climate and environmental issues through film, while contemplating solutions and taking action together." Screenwriter Kim Eun-hee, known for dramas such as "Signal" and "Kingdom," and actor Cho Jin-woong, known for his roles in "Signal" and the film "Believer," were selected as "Eco Friends," the festival's promotional ambassadors.
The scale of screenings is also the largest in the festival's history. A total of 3,261 films from 132 countries were submitted, with 77 films from 35 countries selected for screening. The selected works shed light on pressing environmental issues such as ecosystems, resources, energy, and climate inequality through an artistic lens, spanning various genres including fiction, documentaries, and animation.
Notable domestic entries include "Flower Grass Cow," which documents the process of finding a home for fifteen cows discovered next to an illegal dog farm; "Touch of Sound," which embodies the instability of people pushed into crises like climate change, gentrification, and war through sound; "Luckily, I Survived," a story about cats injured in the March 2022 wildfires in Uljin, Gyeongbuk and Samcheok, Gangwon, and the people trying to save them; "Concrete Green Island," which tracks the fate of trees within a reconstruction apartment complex; and "We Went to the Island," which follows the journey of a couple in their 30s who moved to Cheongsando Island.
International screenings include the opening film "Can I Get a Witness?," which depicts a near future where human life expectancy is capped at 50; "Plastic Fantastic," which addresses the plastic crisis; "Food for Profit," which exposes the hidden truth behind "excellent" European dairy farming; "Black Butterflies," an animation portraying three women facing climate change; and "Hydrogen–Revolution or Illusion?," which covers the hidden story behind the transition to so-called "eco-friendly" hydrogen energy.
Choi Yul, Chairman of the Korea Green Foundation and chairman of the film festival's organizing committee, said, "When the Seoul International Environmental Film Festival first began, we had to shoot and screen films ourselves, but now we are able to show such a wide range of works. It is deeply moving."
KAIST professor Kim Jae-seung, co-executive director of the festival, remarked, "The Seoul International Environmental Film Festival is an excellent school," adding, "It is an engaging educational venue where one can step out of the classroom to reflect on and discuss our global environment. I hope the festival becomes a celebration where everyone sings for the environment together."
Lee Mi-kyung, CEO of the Korea Green Foundation and co-executive director, emphasized, "The Seoul International Environmental Film Festival has expanded its reach beyond cinema to include digital platforms, IPTV, television broadcasts, and school screenings. Environmental films are multidimensional texts that reflect our ecosystem, media through which we can contemplate a sustainable future together, and the starting point for action to solve climate issues."
As the first environmental film festival in Korea, the event is carbon-neutral. The festival measures and offsets the amount of carbon generated throughout the event and will publish a carbon footprint report once it concludes.
Films will be available for viewing at Megabox Hongdae from the 6th to the 8th, and on the Seoul International Environmental Film Festival website through the 15th. The youth education program "Cinema Green Teen" will continue until the 30th. In addition to theater screenings, the festival has opened various channels including SBS034120's "TV Animal Farm" and Btv, and has prepared various side events such as the "Forest Food Flea Market," "Pet-friendly Outdoor Screenings," and the "World Youth Climate Forum" to help participants learn about the environment in an easy and fun way.