By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter
Seoul is offering 280 free movies to citizens at seven local theaters, the Cheonggye Plaza and the Olympic Park.
The 14th annual Seoul Good Movie Festival kicked off on April 11 and continues until the end of October featuring 280 movies at 690 free screenings.
The repertoire includes hit movies such as ``The Good, the Bad, the Weird’’ and ``Speed Scandal,’’ independent movies such as ``Daytime Drinking’’ and `` Lovers’’ and animations such as ``Ponyo on the Cliff’’ and ``Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.’’ There are also 12 movies that have not been released in Korea.
Started in 1996 as a summertime outdoor screening event, the Seoul Good Movie Festival has earned positive reactions from Seoulites. The festival broadened its coverage to art films and provided expert explanations on movies.
To reduce the inconvenience for irregular screening times and theaters, the city designated seven local theaters as base cinemas ― Cinus Danseongsa, Cinus Gangnam, Film Forum in Sinchon, Kring Cinema, Jungnang Public Library, Nowon Culture Center and Jeongseon Memorial Hall. These cinemas will show movies at a designated day and time.
During the month of May, a movie plaza will open at the Gwansu Bridge on the Cheoggye Stream with showing short independent films by Korean directors.
Outdoor screenings are located at Olympic Park and the Han River Park.
The venues and schedules are available at the Web site www.seoulgoodmovie.com or call 120 for more information. Reservations are required to watch the movies.