Director YEO Eun-a’s Cocoon is a story about Mina who lives with her sick mother in an old apartment. Mina tries to save her mother who becomes a worm in a cocoon. The film is 2D animation with subtle sensitivity depicting people who are trapped within the constraints of their family.

 

Buy One, Get One Free by director HUH Su-young is an animated film with adorable imagination. Doo-na works in a supermarket, and one day she feels so sick that she sends her cat to work in her work place. She loses her job because her cat sells more products. She turns to the supermarket to get revenge on her cat.

 

Cocoon and Buy One, Get One Free were introduced this year throughout the international film festivals like the Annecy International Animated Film Festival, the Chicago International Film Festival and the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival, and the local film festivals like the Indie-AniFest and the Great Short Film Festival. They were recognized their cinematic quality due to getting BIAF awards this time.

 

The 17th BIAF opened from Friday, October 23rd to Tuesday, October 27th for five days, featuring 160 animated films from 35 countries. It newly extended its range of attendees from students to every animator this year.

 

BIAF announced its awards in 17 sections total, 12 BIAF categories and 5 Special categories during the closing ceremony at the Bucheon Korea Manhwa Museum theater at 6 p.m. on October 27th. Japanese animation Miss Hokusai by HARA Keiichi picked up the Grand Prize of the Feature section and Beach Flags by Sarah Saidan from France won the same prize of the Short section. Australia and United States film Eden’s Edge by Gerhard Treml and Leo Calice was awarded the Jury Special Prize of the Feature Film section, Erlking by Swedish Georges Schwizgebel was chosen for the Short Film section and The Secret to Mom from Japan by KABUKI Sawako received the same trophy of the Graduation Film section.