This is a scene from "Between Words," a film invited for screening at the 13th Seoul Metro International Subway Film Festival (SMIFF). (Screen capture from SMIFF Naver TV) 

By Kim Hyelin 

The 13th Seoul Metro International Subway Film Festival, which runs from Sept. 28 through Oct. 21, is being jointly hosting Seoul Metro and the Seoul International Extreme-Short Image and Film Festival.

A combined 1,112 films from 45 countries were submitted for this year's festival, 45 of which will be screened: 20 in the international competition, 15 in the domestic competition and 10 in the ESG (environmental, social and governance) competition.

The festival will also show 30 works invited to the International Special Screening events "Barcelona Subtravelling" and "Copenhagen 60Seconds," boosting the film total to 75. The works in both sections are extremely short films ranging from 56 seconds to four minutes 40 seconds. All films can be watched from screens installed at subway platforms and inside cars of Seoul subway lines 5-8.

The films are also available for viewing on mobile phones. All content is viewable on the festival's online theater (https://smiff.kr/smiff/2022/?lang=en&p=0402) by accessing it through the QR code on the festival poster displayed throughout subway stations in Seoul.

Films entered in the ESG special competition will be shown on screens inside Euljiro 3-ga (Shinhan Card) Station of Lines 2 and 3. Works in the domestic competition will also be screened on media boards inside Gwanghwamun Station on Line 5.

A popular online vote ending on Oct. 18 on the festival's homepage (https://smiff.kr/smiff/2022/?p=0501) will select six award winners, including two in the international competition, three in the domestic and one in the ESG special competition. The announcement will come on Oct. 21.

Prize money worth a combined KRW 11 million and other items will go to the winners. The winning works will be also screened at subways, buses and trams in Barcellona, Spain, under an agreement with Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona, the main mass transit operator of Barcelona, Spain.

Kim JungHwan, executive director of Seoul Metro's Public Relations Division, said, "We hope that many residents who use the subway can enjoy art and culture while watching ultra-short films."

This is the promotional poster for the 13th Seoul Metro International Subway Film Festival. (Seoul Metro)

kimhyelin211@korea.kr