Global feature film competition selections have been announced for the 21st Bucheon International Animation Festival, taking place October 18-22 this year. The eight titles represent top-tier artistry and storytelling from filmmakers across Asia and Europe.
BIAF’s short film competition selections were announced last month. The complete list of announced selections and more information available at www.biaf.or.kr.
BIAF 2019 Feature Films in Competition:
Checkered Ninja | Thorbjoern Christoffersen, Anders Matthesen | Denmark
Alex gets a ninja doll from his uncle Stewart after a trip to Thailand. He then realizes that the doll is alive, and can help him deal with his problems at school. Alex agrees to return the favor, but soon understands that the Checkered Ninja is possessed and on a mission for revenge.
Human Lost | Kizaki Fuminori | Japan
Tokyo, 2036: A revolution in medical treatment has conquered death … By means of internal nanomachines and the “Shell System” network which controls them, human beings are guaranteed a 120-year lifespan, free from illness. The disparity between those who can afford the luxury of a prolonged life and those who cannot leads to the “Human Lost” phenomenon, in which people disconnected from the Shell network become malformed un-humans.
Marona’s Fantastic Tale | Anca Damian | Romania/France/Belgium
Marona, a mongrel, has just been hit by a car. Still stunned by the accident, she senses her soul gradually rising up and leaving her. She sees cars zipping past and brushing up against her lifeless body, while Solange, her last owner, weeps over her. As death gently carries her away, Marona sees her life flashing before her eyes … A dog’s life …
Princess Aya | Lee Sunggang | South Korea
Princess Aya of the Yeon-Li-Ji kingdom carries a curse that transforms her into animals. When the realm is under siege, the king creates an alliance with the Kingdom of Vatar by marrying Aya off to Prince Vari. En route to Vatar, Aya is attacked by a magical beast. Soon, she witnesses a regent’s conspiracy and finds herself holding the fate of two kingdoms.
The Swallows of Kabul | Zabou Breitman, Eléa Gobbé-Mévellec | France/Luxembourg/Switzerland
Summer 1998, Kabul is under Taliban rule Zunaira and Mohsen are young and in love. Despite the daily violence and misery, they hope for a better future. One day, a foolish gesture causes life to take an irrevocable turn.
Twilight | Yamamoto Yutaka | Japan
The final installment in the Tohoku Trilogy on the 2011 Tohoku earthquake. Twilight depicts the value of everyday life in the meeting of a boy and a girl who fall in love. The story takes place in Fukushima, the region dealing with the aftermath of the nuclear plant disaster. “In this world, love still exists!”
The Wonderland | Hara Keiichi | Japan
Akane is a girl who has no self confidence. On the day before her birthday, an alchemist named Hippocrates appears from the door of the basement room at an antique shop, and asks her to join him on a mission to save his world. He transports her against her will to the “Wonderland” of happy colors. Inhabited by strange animals and people, this “Wonderland” is threatened with the loss of its colors. What is the life-changing decision that Akane, transformed into the savior of this world, makes at the end of her great adventure?
Zero Impunity | Nicolas Blies, Stéphane Hueber-Blies, Denis Lambert | Luxembourg/France
A 90-minute social impact film created as the centerpiece of an ambitious transmedia project, which combines investigative journalism with activism in a call to action. Zero Impunity confronts the dirty mechanics of major international institutions, fueled by a global culture of hopelessness, neglect and denial. The liberation of suppressed voices and the support structures now available are the first step in providing the crucial tools needed to heal. An important and necessary eye-opening scream, raising awareness and outrage. A film about life, love and humanity.
