The 7th International Ocean Film Festival will be held at P.ARK, a complex cultural space in Yeongdo, Busan, from July 19th (Fri) to 21st (Sun) for three days.

Hosted by Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Hyung-joon) and organized by the International Ocean Film Festival Organizing Committee (Chairman Cho Hana), with the support of Busan Yeongdo-gu (District Head Kim Ki-jae), this year's festival will feature 27 feature and short ocean films from 11 countries under the theme of “Boundless Ocean”.

This year's opening films for the International Ocean Film Festival include "Disappearing Jewels" by Will Kim, a Korean-American animator, who depicts the scientific data and affection for marine life about various problems caused by global warming through watercolor illustration animation, and “Alien Contact” directed by Rick Rosenthal, a marine biologist and winner of the 2002 Emmy Award, which provides a glimpse into the lifestyle of manta rays, which have a wingspan of nearly 8 meters and the most developed cognitive abilities among fish.

The closing film is "Ronin" directed by Ma Xue, which depicts the delicate emotions between love and friendship met in Wanan, China, a utopia for surfing enthusiasts. Actor Shu Weihao, who starred in the film and participated in the script writing, is scheduled to visit Korea for a stage greeting at the closing ceremony.
The screenings will begin with the opening film on the first day and continue for three days in two screening rooms on the 6th floor and the basement 1st floor of P.ARK, a complex cultural space in Yeongdo.

There are many works that capture the image of Jeju Island, which resembles Busan Yeongdo, among them, "Boksun's One-Day Class" is a film that shows Boksun, who lives in Jeju, going through a healing process through yoga, and a special program is prepared where you can participate in the yoga featured in the film with Cocoa Island, Busan's leading wellness brand.
In addition, the special session "Haenyeo - The World Met Under the Water," which selected three works that tell different stories with the haenyeo, who have been designated as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, including "Haenyeo: Daughter of the Sea" produced by Patagonia, will be followed by a GV with director Lee Gang-bin of "Until They Are Happy" and actresses Kim Ok-ja and Lee Soon-deok, Jeju haenyeo.

On Saturday, the 20th, a music talk will be held after the screening of "I Cut the Sea with You," a work by director No Jae-yoon, featuring the American cross-country journey of indie group "Annyeongbada," known for their song "Starlight Falls," along with "Annyeongbada" bassist Woo Myung-je, cinematographer Kwon Jae-hyun, and music columnist Kim Tae-hoon. Beer will be provided to the audience at the event, offering a special experience of enjoying beer while discussing movies, music, and travel stories.

In addition, director Sarah Norenberg of the documentary "Orca - Black and White Gold," which captures the scene of a Russian company overfishing orcas, a popular species for aquariums for profit, and persuades the government to release them, will visit Korea and have a GV with Jo Yak-gol, the representative of Hot Pink Dolphins, a marine environmental organization that is working to designate a habitat protection area for southern right whales in Jeju, Korea, to discuss the domestic and international situation.

The SBS special documentary "The Whale and Me," which shows the Earth's crisis revealed through the life and death of whales, is also preparing a GV program after the screening.
In addition, eight works selected as the winners of the International Ocean Film Festival's domestic production screening support competition will be screened in the short film and special sections: △Sumbisori △Boksun's One-Day Class △Mijo △How to Swim with Dolphins △Until They Are Happy △Fish Cake in the Water △Mackerel, the Sea, and Soon-hui △Why Do People Go to the Sea?

In addition, a special session has been prepared to discuss various issues facing the sea today with marine experts from various fields through joint planning with marine-related organizations and companies such as MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) and Deokhwa Myungran.

The International Ocean Film Festival has presented various artworks in collaboration with local artists every year, and this year, Ahn Hee-jung, a local picture book writer and active cultural planner, will present artwork and experiential programs for the International Ocean Film Festival through the Busan Cultural Foundation's Artist Dispatch Support Project.

Cho Hana, the operating committee chairman of the International Ocean Film Festival, said, “Based on this year's theme, 'Boundless Ocean,' we have tried to encompass everything related to the ocean, including marine environment, marine culture, as well as humanities, literature, and music.” She added, “We hope to receive a lot of attention for this year's festival, which is in its seventh year.”

Tickets for the 2024 International Ocean Film Festival screenings can be booked through the reservation link on the homepage, and on-site tickets are also available during the festival. The screening fee is 10,000 won for special programs and 5,000 won for general screenings. Tickets booked will be exchanged for actual tickets on site and a coupon for a can of coffee or a financier at the P.ARK cafe will be provided.

For more information about the 2024 International Ocean Film Festival, please visit the festival homepage (www.kioff.kr) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/kioff.official).

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※ This article is based on the company's press release and has been reorganized for clarity.