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Clermont Ferrand is a small city in central France, with a population of some 140,000. It is a quiet little town without many notable tourist attractions, but it is filled with foreigners every February, when the famous short film festival takes place. This year was the 38th edition of the festival. 
 

 

The weather was viciously cold in February in Clermont Ferrand, but the Cocteau theater was heated with passion. The theater’s lobby was full of audience waiting for screening, various information centers, and souvenir and DVD booths. The most impressive among all was the audience that filled up the theater with almost 12,000 seats. From children to old men and women, citizens came as families, which was distinctively different from the audience in the film festivals in Korea, where seats are mostly filled with young film fans. It was very impressive and enviable. 

For Korean directors, experiences in international film festivals are especially valuable. Among the invitees, I met LEE Young-ah of Boiler and KIM Gun of KEEP GOING. Lee, a graduate from the KAFA (Korean Academy of Film Arts), said “I was rather depressed struggling with my feature scenario, but having been invited to the festival and sharing thoughts with the audience, I am happy and ready to go again.” Further, KIM, a graduate from Korea National University of Arts, said “I am glad that my works that were avoided in Korean film festivals are finally recognized here. It gives me the strength to go on with my own film world.”

 

Boiler is a realistic film whose issues in a short frame resonated with the European audience as well; while KEEP GOING is an SF action film which is not a popular genre in Korea, especially for short films. Both films were warmly received by the audience before and after screening. 
 

 

The Korean Film Council (KOFIC) runs Korean Film Center in major markets inside and outside Korea, which is a PR booth for Korean films. This year in the Korean Film Center, INDIESTORY, Korea Independent Animation Filmmakers Association and Central Park Films participated as well, along with The KOFIC, to promote the festival entries and Korean short film sales in general. It is a rather pricey spending as European markets are costly, but all the interested parties concluded that Clermont Ferrand film market is too important to miss.

 

The KOFIC has been supporting the Korean short film sales companies participating in the Clermont Ferrand every year. However, it is the first time this year that the KOFIC staff actually participated in the festival and market. Every year the festival committee requested the KOFIC’s presence, but the organization was busy preparing for European Film Market in Berlinale which comes right after Clermont Ferrand. However, last year, the KOFIC acknowledged the importance of participating in the Clermont Ferrand market, and has prepared for since mid-2015, and finally got to run the KOFIC booth in the Clermont Ferrand market this year.

 

While one goal for the KOFIC’s participation in Clermont Ferrand is promotion and sales, the other is the fostering of new talents. While production seminars took place at one corner, business meetings also went on simultaneously for those who have not set up their booth. Thanks to the KOFIC’s support, Korean participants could save cost on booths and brochures, which shows why the KOFIC’s support for Korean short film sales should continue. 

Anne Parents, the market director, was very happy to see the KOFIC at the market, and said that she had long waited for it to happen. “As Korean films keep being invited, we consider Korea a very important film country,” added she. She previewed the Korean films invited to the festival this year, and clearly remembered the overall stories and scenes. 

Another feature of Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival that stands out is its Happy Hour. Of course other film markets run the same event where they provide food and invite people. However, the Happy Hour at the Clermont Ferrand market is more intimate and like a family event. The food is not catered by a professional company but from individual participants from different countries, providing their distinctive cultural food. For example, Germany and Sweden prepared cheese and beer, while France served wine.

 

The Korean delegation provided instant noodle and soju, a Korean spirit. As the quantity was quite big, they were rather worried too much would be left over, but such worry was not necessary. The response was beyond expectations. The guests talked about Korean films while sharing Korean food, and all the food and drinks were soon gone. 

Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival respects short film as a proper piece of artwork in its own right. It also warmly supports the directors, lets them enjoy the festival, maximizes the commercial value of short films, and creates a friendly atmosphere for everybody. It is not built in one day, of course. Festival staff’s passion and the citizens' participation must be the force that keeps the festival going. Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival and its market will no doubt stay in the center of the global short films for a long time.