Most Ever, Maximum! 51st Seoul Independent Film Festival Concludes, Grand Prize Goes to 'Stars and Sand'

The Seoul Independent Film Festival has successfully concluded.

The 51st Seoul Independent Film Festival took place over 9 days from November 27 to December 5 at CGV Apgujeong. The closing ceremony on December 5 at 7 PM announced this year's award winners, marking the end of the festival.

The Seoul Independent Film Festival attracted attention by breaking records for the most screenings ever (167 films) and the highest attendance ever (20,023 people). The closing ceremony of the 51st Seoul Independent Film Festival, hosted by actors Gong Min-jung and Seo Hyun-woo, revealed award-winning films with a total prize money of 127 million won (including in-kind contributions), the largest in history, across 6 main categories, 2 new selection categories, and 10 special awards.

The prestigious Grand Prize was awarded to director Gam Jeong-won for 〈Stars and Sand〉. The film tells the story of two people who, avoiding the pace of the city, search for their own dreams, meeting by the riverside in late summer and confronting each other's wounds and weaknesses as they pass through a season together. It received evaluations from the judges such as "I thought it was a type of film that AI could never produce, no matter how advanced it becomes" and "It made me rethink what a film is."

The 'Best Feature Film Award' went to director Kim Bo-sol for 〈Plaza〉, while the 'Excellent Feature Film Award' was awarded to director Park Seok-young for 〈Winter Vacation of Ray〉. The 'Short Film Grand Prize' was awarded to director Yang Hee-jin for 〈Rain of Tonight〉, the 'Short Film Best Feature Award' went to director Park Yu-seon for 〈We Will Meet Again〉, and the 'Short Film Excellent Feature Award' was shared by director Lee Ji-won for 〈Kang-i and Dugi〉 and director Lee Seong-wook for 〈Material Form〉. The 'New Selection Award' was given to director Han Chang-rok for 〈Chung Chung Chung〉, and the 'New Perspective Award' went to director Kim Jin-yu for 〈Flowing Journey〉.

The 'Special Award from the Executive Committee' was given to director Wang Min-cheol for 〈Simply, Where We Stay〉, while the 'Independent Star Award', aimed at discovering new independent film actors, was awarded to actor No Sang-hyun for 〈Kang-i and Dugi〉 and actress Park Hyo-eun for 〈Goats〉. The 'Passionate Staff Award' was awarded to director Park Se-young for 〈Fin〉 in the cinematography category, and the 'CGK Cinematography Award' given by the Korean Film Cinematographers Guild went to cinematographers Heo Cheol-nyeong and Jeong Sae-byeol for 〈Eddie Alice: Take〉. The 'Amnesty International Candlelight Award', selected by the Korean branch of Amnesty International, was awarded to director Ko Eun-sang for 〈New City K〉.

This year, the newly established 'Inner Strength Award' went to director Jo Ba-reun for 〈Layer〉, and the 'Next Link Award', created from the 'Independent Film Matching Project: Next Link' initiative to provide practical help to creators as well as interest in independent film distribution, was awarded to director Yoo Jae-in for 〈The Way to Erase〉 and director Park Seok-young for 〈Winter Vacation of Ray〉. The Cineplay Local Cinema Award went to director Lee U-ri for 〈Mountain Climbing〉. Finally, the Audience Award, selected through audience voting, was awarded to director Lee Il-ha for 〈Horimong〉 and director Nam So-hyun for 〈Those Who Leave Buy Flowers〉.