Film festival celebrates song and dance on screen:

Music & Performance

Published: 01 Jun. 2018, 20:36

Film festival celebrates song and dance on screen:

Left, members of this year’s Chungmuro International Music Film Festival (Chimff) stand at a press conference that took place on May 29. This festival is in its third year. Right, actor Han Ji-sang has been selected as this year’s promotional ambassador. [CHUNGMU ARTS CENTER]

While not home to any of the nation’s three major film festivals, Seoul plays host to a number of movie events that provide a platform for emerging artists each and every summer. One of those events is the Chungmuro International Musical Film Festival (Chimff), a 10-day affair that brings together the worlds of film and musical theater. This year’s festival kicks off on July 6 and will feature 35 works. It is set to take place at several venues in central Seoul, including Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), Chungmu Arts Center and the Cine Library inside the Myeongdong Station CGV.

“The goal of the festival is to create positive synergy between musical films and musical performances,” said Chimff director Kim Hong-joon.

Ticket prices are affordable and range from free to 10,000 won ($9.30), giving anyone who wants to check out a screening the opportunity to do so.

But that doesn’t mean that the festival is showing mediocre films. In fact, the lineup consists of many movies that have made major contributions to the musical genre.

The opening film, “Cine Live: Hand in Hand” (1988) was directed by Im Kwon-taek and features the works of talented musicians, such as Jo Dong-hee, who is known for her 1997 hit song “When My Loneliness Calls Out to You.” The movie premiered during the 1988 Seoul Olympics and it is being re-released this year on the occasion of the Games’ 30th anniversary.

“Cine Live: Hand in Hand” will be screened at the Grand Theater of Chungmu Arts Center on July 6.

The festival will also show many favorite musical films including director Alan Parker’s musical drama “Evita” (1996) and director Nick Morris’ concert film “Les Miserables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary” (2010), as well as relatively new films, including Pixar’s 2017 hit “Coco.”

The “Musical Short Films” section will premiere and promote three Korean musical short films to the audience. This year’s selection includes director Choi Chan’s 25-minute film “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (2017).

The closing ceremony, which will take place on July 15 at Chungmu Arts Center, will screen the beloved Broadway musical “Man of La Mancha” (1972), directed by Arthur Hiller. MBC announcer Lee Joo-yeon will host the ceremony.

BY LEE JEONG-HYUN [lee.jeonghyun@joongang.co.kr]