Selection Note for the International Short Competition

MOON Sujin
The selection process, which began when the weather was still cool, has come to an end in the heat of summer. Short animation is a truly fascinating medium. The process of expressing a director's vision through every element that makes up a film, and the ideas discovered along the way, always offer a renewed sense of inspiration. This year's submissions each had a distinct identity, making it feel as though the directors themselves were unfolding the themes of their works through the screen.
As an audience member before a selection committee member, I approached the program as an audience member, carefully considering how the films could be arranged so that audiences could remain engaged and immersed throughout the screening. As a result, we were able to present a lineup with a diverse spectrum of works. We hope these works, each with infinite potential, will offer audiences fresh inspiration and profound comfort.

KIM Somi
This year, many works focused on profound themes such as death and mourning, war and dystopia, illness and caregiving. What stood out was the unique way in which animation embraced and expressed these themes. Many works approached these subjects through the sensibilities of black comedy and the absurd, while their visual expression placed a strong emphasis on handcrafted techniques, including ink wash, watercolor, and felt. This could also be interpreted as a trend to inscribe the labor and time invested in the creative process onto the screen in an era overflowing with generative images. The selected works, ranging from award-winning films from Cannes, Annecy, and Sundance to remarkable debut films by emerging filmmakers, consistently demonstrated that short animation remains at the forefront of animation aesthetics.

LEE Eunhwa
Compared to previous years, there were fewer works exploring 3D or experimental formats, while submissions distinguished themselves through their solid storytelling foundations and refined execution. Works dealing with themes of feminism, coming-of-age, and family continued to occupy a significant place in the selection, while earnest attempts to reflect contemporary social concerns left a strong impression. Works that reinterpreted familiar themes through distinctive perspectives and expressions, or evoked fresh responses through nonlinear approaches, stood out in the selection. Going forward, we look forward to encountering works that present the broad possibilities of animation through diverse subjects, new forms, and stories that transcend expectations.

KIM Eugene
With every work I encountered, the anxieties and questions of our time unfolded vividly on the screen, and the process of finding balance within the program was not without its challenges. Nevertheless, the works that touched our hearts through even a single scene or frame, and conveyed the stories we need in this moment, remained with us long after viewing. The emergence of works utilizing AI revealed new possibilities for animation, but in the end, what moved audiences was not technology itself, but the stories and sincerity of the creators behind the works. We hope that these works will resonate deeply with audiences at BIAF2026 and become the starting point for a new journey toward next year's Academy Awards.