Asia’s largest experimental film and video fest kicks off in Seoul

Seoul’s Experimental Film and Video Festival (EXiS), the largest of its kind in Asia, kicked off Thursday for eight days of experimental films, documentaries and moving images from around the world.

Under its competition program EX-Now, a total of 21 experimental films will be screened in the international section, selected from 2,008 films from 79 countries, while 11 Korean experimental films will compete in the Korean section.

From the 32 films, a jury will select three films for awards.

EXiS has prepared various programs such as Indi-visual, which through discussion highlights the works of Brazilian contemporary artist and screenwriter Ana Vaz, who helmed 18 films. At this year's EX-Retro, Japanese director Suzuki Shirouyasu’s works will be screened in Korea for the first time, including his masterpiece “15 Days.”

EXiS’ Asia Forum, a section designed to study the history of alternative video culture and experimental cinema in Asia, has partnered this year with Hong Kong’s Jumping Frames, an international movement-image festival that deals with experimental films and performance works. The forum participants will have a chance to learn how performance and documentary can intersect to expand definitions of truth and reality, as mediated by the body and the screen.

Running through July 25, the festival takes place at the Korea Film Archive Cinematheque in Mapo-gu and at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea in Jongno-gu. Tickets for the screenings can be purchased at both Cinematheque and MMCA websites.