15 Short Films you shouldn’t miss at the 23rd Seoul International Women’s Film Festival

By Asian Film Festival on August 22, 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

These are fifteen short films that you shouldn’t miss at the 23rd Seoul International Women’s Film Festival, which will take place in cinemas and online from August 26th until September 1st, 2021 in Seoul, Korea.

About the festival:
The Seoul International Women’s Film Festival (SIWFF) is a unique and influential event presenting new values and the alternatives from a feminist perspective among Korean international film festivals. The festival contributes to the development of women’s positive values and plays an essential role establishing a network between Asian and the other countries. SIWFF provides the ways to promote and exhibit Korean women’s films abroad by discovering and supporting women in film industry. It also helps Korean film industry develop and have diversity. Forming future-oriented, alternative culture, SIWFF contributes to the development of the balanced Korea culture to improve Korean national image.

– Recommended Films –

**30 Decibel** by Lim Hyo-ryun – South Korea | 2021 – 7 minutes
**Section**: I-Teens

Preparing for the important exam, Jung-min is studying in a selfstudy room. Irritated by the music sound from the earphones of her neighbor, she warns through a Post-it message. Then, she hears a loud sound of the heater and turns it off. Even the sound of the clock gets on her nerves, and she throws the clock. Just when she thinks that everything was over, she recognizes that it was a voice in her head. (SIWFF 2021)

Trailer:

**A Silent Night** by Kim Boram – South Korea | 2020 – 25 minutes
**Section**: Special Screening

For their mother’s memorial service, eldest sister Hyejeong holds the ceremony at her house and all her sisters attend. Hyejeong plans a trip aboard for their brother’s 70th birthday, and the sisters disagree. As they argue, Hyejeong finds out that there’s something they’re keeping from her, and youngest sister Jeonghee finally confesses her unpleasant past. (SIWFF 2021)

*Available Online*

**Aimez-vous Camping** by Kim Kkobbi – South Korea | 2020 – 16 minutes
**Section**: Queer Rainbow

Jiwoo meets Soo-jin at a camping site and is attracted to Soo-jin at first sight, but it’s not easy to get Soo-jin’s attention. (SIWFF 2021)

Trailer:

**Broken** by Nan Khin San Win – Myanmar, Germany | 2021 – 13 minutes
**Section**: Asian Shorts

Life for women and girls is far from safe in parts of conflict-affected Kayah State. In this absorbing short documentary, first-time director Nan Khin San Win explores both her own trauma and that of another woman from her village in a bid to break the silence that shrouds violence against women in Myanmar. (SIWFF 2021)

Trailer:

**Come Over for a Drink, Kanchhi** by Sikuma Rai – Nepal | 2020 – 26 minutes
**Section**: Asian Shorts

Come Over for a Drink, Kanchhi is an empathetic portrayal of an indigenous community of farmers and brewers from east Nepal, where the untold stories, the sorrows, and the loneliness of the female protagonists have led to a high degree of alcoholism. The film is the director’s confrontation with her indigenous culture and its beliefs. (SIWFF 2021)

**Happy Days** by Wai Mar Nyunt – Myanmar | 2007 – 13 minutes
**Section**: Feminist Collective: Women’s Filmmaking in Asia

A charming, uplifting portrait of the director’s irrepressibly ebullient next-door neighbor, 13-year-old Shoon Lei. (SIWFF 2021)

**Let Lips Do What Hands Do** by Kim Su-hyun – South Korea | 2021 – 19 minutes
**Section**: I-Teens

Goobin, who likes Jinju, wants to narrow the distance and Jinju, who likes Goobin, tries to keep the distance. The two will have their first date in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis on the 100th day. (SIWFF 2021)

Trailer:

**Maria & Beyonce** by Song Yechan – South Korea | 2021 – 28 minutes
**Section**: Asian Shorts

A middle school student Mirae gets casted by a star agency. Looking back on 16 years of her life as she dreams about being an idol, which was not part of her plans, she realizes that all the pieces of her past could ruin her career after her debut. Above all, she starts to worry about her ex-boyfriend Jaemin and his friends. (SIWFF 2021)

Trailer:

**My Quarantine Bear** by Ma Weijia – China, France | 2021 – 35 minutes
**Section**: Asian Shorts

While working in Strasbourg on her latest animated short, Ma Weijia has to rush back to China when France goes under lockdown. Upon her arrival, another lockdown awaits her. Fourteen days in a hotel, like a bear in its cave. From the surreal flight to her quarantine, the director recounts this experience through a filmed diary filled with humor, inventiveness, and a touch of romantic comedy. (SIWFF 2021)

Trailer:

**Nipple War 3** by Paek Si Won – South Korea | 2021 – 23 minutes
**Section**: Asian Shorts

A television producer Yong is told by the head of department to pixelate the nipples of a celebrity who is not wearing a bra. (SIWFF 2021)

Trailer:

**Sole Player** by Zhao Xinyue, Fu Shangzhi – China | 2020 – 24 minutes
**Section**: Asian Shorts

A sudden epidemic broke people’s original life order. Eight months later, Li Jiaying returned to school, only to find that the huge school was empty and she could not leave the campus. She opened the door of 302 in the accidental collision, entered the VR virtual game, and found that the normal campus can only be unlocked by completing the mysterious mission… (SIWFF 2021)

**The Bus Conductor** by Ngwe Ngwe Khine – Myanmar | 2015 – 18 minutes
**Section**: Feminist Collective: Women’s Filmmaking in Asia

Myat Su Wai is one of Yangon’s first ever female bus conductors. This film follows her as she struggles to combine her long working day with bringing up her young daughter. (SIWFF 2021)

**The Trouble with Sammy** by Moon Jiwon – South Korea | 2021 – 29 minutes
**Section**: Asian Shorts

Sammy is the lowest crew member in the film’s hierarchy. One day, she went to her house with a fake arm movie prop. Her grandmother who lives with her thinks the fake arm prop is real. (SIWFF 2021)

Trailer:

**There** by Wu Yu Fen – Taiwan | 2020 – 29 minutes
**Section**: Asian Shorts

Old grandpa has passed away. The Indonesian caregiver, Shally, helped grandma and uncle with the funeral. When none of the children came home, Shally was then forced on behalf of one of the family members… (SIWFF 2021)

Trailer:

**Unknown Legendary Girls** by Terry Kim – South Korea | 2021 – 23 minutes
**Section**: Film x Gender

The sudden death of the aunt leads Woori to her funeral, where she finds out that her aunt was in fact a legend in track. She was so talented that she ranked second in the national competition, but she gave track up to support her brother. Somehow, Woori ends up in her aunt’s childhood and she tries to change her aunt’s past to make her dream come true. (SIWFF 2021)

For more information, please go to: https://www.siwff.or.kr/eng/