Daejeon City, in collaboration with the Daejeon Information & Culture Industry Promotion Agency, announced that it will host the 8th Daejeon Special Video Film Festival (DFX), South Korea’s only film festival specialized in special effects, for three days from September 17 to 19.

Under this year's slogan, "Unreal on Real: Immersion into the Virtual," the festival has strengthened its program to transform into an industry-focused film festival that connects cutting-edge technologies—such as visual effects (VFX) and artificial intelligence—with creators and enterprises, going beyond simple film viewing. The initiative aims to build an industrial ecosystem where the creation, technology, and commercialization of special-effects content seamlessly connect.

On September 17, the opening day, a red carpet event and the "DFX OTT Awards" will take place at the Daejeon Convention Center (DCC) Exhibition Center 2. The awards ceremony will honor directors, companies, technical experts (technicians), and actors who have showcased exceptional special effects in films and drama series across a total of 12 categories, including 7 technical awards and 5 acting awards.

On September 18 and 19, the "DFX Tech Show" will be held at Megabox Daejeon Shinsegae Art & Science under the themes "Making the Unreal Look Real" and "Making the Real Look Even More Real." Domestic and international special effects industry veterans—including representatives from DreamWorks, Mofac Studio, and Dexter Studio, alongside production designers Kim Bo-mook and Jung Sung-ho, and special effects makeup artist Pyo Dae-sung—will share their hands-on production experiences and technologies, providing a glimpse into the present and future of advanced video technology.

Notably, this year's festival directly connects creators and companies through a special effects project pitching competition. Through one-on-one business meetings and project presentations, a total of 100 million won in prize money will be awarded to 6 selected teams to support the production and commercialization of outstanding projects.

In the video content competition utilizing generative artificial intelligence, 19 outstanding works will be selected to receive a total of 48 million won in prize money. The screening of the grand prize winner, followed by a Guest Visit (GV) session, will share new possibilities for AI-based video creation with the public.

Film screenings have been expanded compared to last year, featuring a total of 22 films, including 6 feature films and 16 short films. The unreleased film "The Assassins" will be screened as the closing film, and special screening programs linked with local independent and art film theaters will be organized to broaden citizens' opportunities to enjoy video culture.

Through this film festival, Daejeon City plans to strengthen the industrial ecosystem connecting special effects technology companies, creators, and audiences, establishing Daejeon as a core hub city for the special effects industry.

Kwon Kyung-min, Director-General of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of Daejeon City, stated, "Daejeon is a core hub of South Korea's special effects industry, combining world-class production infrastructure such as Studio Cube with the scientific and technological capabilities of Daedeok Innopolis. Through this film festival, we will further solidify a convergence ecosystem where cutting-edge technology and creativity harmonize, and strive to make Daejeon leap forward as a global content center."

Detailed programs can be checked through the Daejeon Information & Culture Industry Promotion Agency (Phone: 042-259-8603) or the official Daejeon Special Video Film Festival website (http://dfx.dicia.or.kr).

[Background & Industry Supplement]

Daejeon has steadily positioned itself as South Korea's premier cinematic and VFX powerhouse, heavily supported by the city's strategic investments in the local cultural content sector. Studio Cube, operated by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) within Daejeon, serves as a state-of-the-art production facility where major blockbusters and high-budget streaming series are filmed and produced. By linking these physical studio assets with the software, AI, and IT prowess of the Daedeok Innopolis research cluster, Daejeon aims to bridge the gap between traditional filmmaking and next-generation virtual production, including LED wall volumes and real-time game-engine rendering.

The annual growth of the Daejeon Special Video Film Festival (DFX) reflects the rapidly expanding role of OTT platforms and global demand for high-end visual effects. As overseas powerhouses like DreamWorks and top-tier Korean studios like Dexter and Mofac engage in technical exchanges at the festival, local creators gain vital access to international standard workflows. Furthermore, the integration of generative AI competitions and pitching grants underscores the city's forward-looking strategy to nurture early-stage talent and ease the financial barriers associated with high-tech media production. These concerted efforts not only enrich the cultural landscape for local residents by offering exclusive access to indie films and unreleased titles, but also establish a sustainable economic pipeline that drives job creation and technological innovation across South Korea's burgeoning content market.

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