SICAF 2011: Animation Event in Korea

The fifteenth Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival has come and gone, and so with a flash of energy similar to that of its nimble launch last week, the event quietly concludes. Considered by some the largest, specialized cartoon exhibition and business workshop/summit in Asia, the Seoul Int'l Cartoon & Animation Fest (SICAF) marks the midpoint of 2011. SICAF 2011 likewise marks an important point of optimism for the Korea animation market, serving as the epicenter of regional inspiration, education, exhibition, and commerce of cartoon culture.

SICAF 2011 was a five-day event (July 20 - July 24, 2011), providing a temporary home to hundreds of animated short films, thousands of business counsels, and many more casual visitors who simply happen to be in the area. The festival and its accompanying special gallery demonstrations and digital art competitions change only slightly from year to year, as event organizers are often of the mind that it is with slight variations in mission and purpose that experts and amateurs, professionals and laypersons, will return each year.

This year, a 15-year retrospective was in order, plus a spotlight on forward-looking, education-focused programming. Meanwhile, the tenth Seoul Character & Licensing Fair, absorbed by SICAF only recently, drew what is expected to be its largest attendance yet.

"[W]e hope that more people will discover something new," Hwang Kyung-tae, Chairman of the SICAF organizing committee, commented recently. "I hope the festival will not stop short of being entertaining, but offer something lasting for all age groups."

The event's general session, which screens feature, television, and original short animation from around the world, was purported to include some 300 titles from more than thirty countries.

Makoto Shinkai's Children Who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below (Japan; 2011) was this year's opening film, merging the contemporary with fantasy and sci-fi only in the way that the anime director is known for.

Also in features, Ahn Jae-hoon and Han hye-jin's character drama Green Days (Korea; 2011), was a popular, if obvious selection. The movie is an artful and long-gestating hand-drawn production from the well-rested underbelly of the Korean cartoon community.

from "It's Chinese" (2010)

from Green Days (2011)

Professionally animated shorts and series highlighting SICAF 2011 included items from Portugal (Dodu: The Cardboard Boy; 2010), Russia (Masha and the Bear, 2009), and Japan (Drawer Hobs, 2011). Notable indie and student titles entering the competition categories included "The Big Girl 2" (China; 2011), "Snowflakes and Carrots" (Canada; 2010), "Kopi Luwak" (Korea; 2010), and "The Eagleman Stag" (UK; 2010).

In addition to the more traditional film screenings, the Soul International Cartoon & Animation Festival continued to integrate related industry efforts into the schedule of event attendees. Namely, through comics portfolios and consumer products panels, SICAF 2011 again brought to light the tangential industries necessary to a healthy animation industry.

Author of girls' comics, Won Su-yeon for example, was presented with the SICAF Cartoon Award, for her efforts in bridging multiple media outlets through her work.

Meanwhile on the business end, the Seoul Promotional Plan, traditionally SICAF SPP, again drew into focus animation projects in development in need of funding. Last year, the Seoul Character & Licensing Fair alone gathered 200,000+ visitors to the tune of more than USD $20 million in licensing agreements. This year, the forum proudly targets the "value, culture, and new paradigm of Asian animation."