Olleh Smartphone Film Fest opens

By Yun Suh-young

The 3rd Olleh International Smartphone Film Festival opened Wednesday on the outdoor stage of COEX Millennium Square in southern Seoul.

The film festival, sponsored by telecommunications company KT, electronics giant Samsung Electronics, retailer CU, and the Megabox theater chain, began in 2011 to provide opportunities for the average mobile user to try filmmaking and inspire experimental and creative work.

The festival will be held through Saturday and all movies will be screened for free on a first-come-first-serve basis except for the opening and closing films. The final entry films can also be viewed at www.olleh.com and on Olleh TV. All the movies at the festival will be broadcast live on www.ustream.tv during the festival period.

At the opening ceremony, director Lee Joon-ik, chairman of the film festival’s organizing committee, and other high-profile figures, including KT CEO Pyo Hyun-myung and Bong Joon-ho, one of Korea’s most internationally acclaimed directors, were present.

Singer Narsha, who debuted with a smartphone movie, also attended the event. Narsha produced and directed the movie “Worm” as part of the film festival’s “Mentor School” program where professional directors help up-and-coming talent make a film. The drama is an autobiographical tale about the hardships she went through to become a singer.

The opening movie, “Dohwaji” or “Drawing Paper,” was filmed by students in Ulleung-do and Jeju Island and is a documentary about filmmaking.

Visitors will be able to participate in an event where they can talk with the directors being screened at the festival. The “Conversation with the Audience” program will be held at 8 p.m. today. Also, a “Smartphone Movie Production Conference” will be held at 2 p.m. Friday to discuss the global trend of smartphone movies and their prospects.

Those wishing to attend the film festival may download an application form from www.ollehfilmfestival.com and submit it to avecair@gmail.com. On-site tickets are also available in front of Megabox ticket office if seats are left. For more information on tickets, call 02-517-3353. To vote for the “best audience-selected film,” visit www.ollehfilmfestival.com or tvcast.naver.com before 6 p.m. today to cast a vote.