Play Act Dance Art-Tech Film Festival 2020 to screen through YouTube

Music & Performance

Published: 10 Aug. 2020, 18:21

Play Act Dance Art-Tech Film Festival 2020 to screen through YouTube

Kim Eun-ji and Kim Hee-jung's "Robot ‘I’“ (2020). [Padaf]

The annual Play Act Dance Art-Tech Film Festival (Padaf), which had been limited to those willing to reserve tickets to experience the integration of cultural contents, has made its first attempt to present the performance to the public for free.

While the previous Padaf performances were showcased in various art centers and required prior booking, this year’s Padaf performances will be available on YouTube as a social distancing measure amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

To turn the crisis of Covid-19 into opportunity, the organizing committee of Padaf hopes the transition will increase the awareness of fusion performing arts festivals and help bring in more future Padaf audiences in the following years.

By starting with the convergence of dance and theater in 2011, Padaf has grown into the only festival in Korea that connects various genres, including choreography, film, theater, fine arts, photography, music and fashion in one place.

Marking its 10th anniversary this year, Padaf 2020 will present the performances of young musicians, dancers and actors without an audience at Daehangno M Theater in central Seoul on Aug. 22 and 23. The recording will be broadcast on Padaf’s official YouTube channel on Aug. 29 and 30.

"It took a long time to decide on this year’s theme as ‘New Normal Post-Contact,’" Soonchunhyang University Professor Kim Kyu-jong who is the head director of Padaf 2020, said. "As long as the Covid-19 pandemic continues, this concern will apply to every artist."

To give young artists more opportunities to interact and exchange ideas, the festival hosted three workshops in July and August before the festival’s opening to allow them to come together and begin thinking collaboratively. The workshops helped 13 rising artists by matching them with mentors who are experts in each genre.

Choreographer Lee Hyun-woo's "Unexpected Moment: Between reality and nonreality” will start the festival on Aug. 22 and shows his movements in reality and movements of himself in virtual reality.

Yang Seung-kwan's ’Home“ (2020). [Padaf]

Following Lee’s piece, Yang Seung-kwan's “Home,” Kim Moon-kyung's “hangover planet”, Oh Shin-young's “Pa-dong,” Kwak Hee-eun, Jung So-hee, Jeon Byung-sung’s “Young”, Yoon Hee-seop's “Door” and Shin Won-min's "Egg” will be staged.

Kim Eun-ji and Kim Hee-jung's "Robot ‘I’” will start the second day’s performance followed by Choi Jung-won's "Intimate Stranger," Son Eun-min, Cho Hyun-do, Choi Won-kyu's "Face me," Kim Jung-kyu and Lee Yoon-jo's "fragrant candle" and Noh Seung-woo's "Everyday is a new day." The last stage will be “Oh Hyung-eun’s “Meaningless!”

The poster for Padaf 2020. [Padaf]

After releasing the recordings on YouTube on Aug. 29 and 30, Padaf will select the best works and hold a screening event and an award ceremony at Lotte Cinema Konkuk University branch on Sept. 5.

Veteran actor Oh Kwang-rok who debuted in 1996 with theatrical play “The World That I See With Closed Eyes” has been selected as the festival ambassador. He was also one of the directors for Padaf 2014.

"I will continue to mentor those who pursue creative forms of convergence and integration not only for Padaf but also for artists who are studying convergence in art,” Oh said.

“Looking back on the past decade, we wish Padaf has opened up new opportunities for artists," Sejong University dance professor Kim Hyung-nam, the chairman of the Padaf 2020 organizing committee, said. "I wish Padaf 2020 can give hope to artists who may be having the most difficult time in the Covid-19 era."

BY KIM YEON-AH [kim.yeonah@joongang.co.kr]