KT&G (CEO Bang Kyung-man) is hosting the "16th Great Short Film Festival" at the KT&G Sangsang Madang Hongdae Cinema until the 10th of this month.

Since 2007, KT&G Sangsang Madang Hongdae has been running the "Great Short Film Festival" to discover outstanding short films and support filmmakers with potential.

This year's festival features 25 finalist films, selected from 766 entries received through an open call in June, overcoming a high competition rate of 30 to 1. In addition, audiences can enjoy a rich selection of 49 films, including 5 winning films from the previous year, 6 films by jury members, and 3 short films created by students from KT&G Sangsang Univ, a platform supporting university students’ growth, in collaboration with film directors.

At the closing ceremony on the 10th, awards will be presented to seven films, selected based on audience feedback and expert jury evaluations. The winners will receive a total of 17 million KRW in prize money along with trophies. Moreover, to support the discovery of exceptional short film scripts, the newly established Magnificent Production Support Project will award 10 million KRW in production funding to the director of the selected screenplay.

Shim Young-ah, Head of KT&G's ESG Management Office, stated, “We hope this festival will become a cultural platform where filmmakers and audiences can communicate through diverse short films that showcase originality and craftsmanship,” adding, “We will continue to discover and support talented filmmakers, contributing to the development of the independent film industry.”

Meanwhile, KT&G Sangsang Madang is a multidisciplinary cultural and artistic space that supports emerging artists and provides the public with a wide range of cultural experiences. Since the opening of Sangsang Madang Hongdae in 2007, it has expanded to five locations, including Nonsan, Chuncheon, Daechi, and Busan, contributing to the expansion of the cultural arts and the development of regional culture. Sangsang Madang receives approximately 3 million visitors annually and operates more than 3,000 cultural and artistic programs each year.

(Photo Description) KT&G Sangsang Madang Hongdae is hosting the "16th Great Short Film Festival" until the 10th. The photo shows Kim Seung-taek (sixth from the left), Head of KT&G’s Sustainability Management Division, along with jury members, film directors, actors, and other participants at the opening ceremony held on the 5th.