The ARK International Film Festival is the finest Art and Experimental film festival in South Korea.

It is the central of arc to make the creative zone for art cinema.
ARK selects and collects the most valuable moving images and art films that will last forever in the world for the art prism that encompasses narrative and experimental films.

ARK's stages are spontaneous to stimulate a broad spectrum of art fields and moving images through its array of films, media, performance, fine arts. We are at the originality's frontier, creating and discovering untold stories and scenes that bring us together through universal hearts we all share. Ark is a playground for fresh and innovative filmmakers who stand up and show the soul of independence.

ARK International Film Festival will provide an outstanding community in worldwide to all the audience, guests and projects that are all welcomed and invited, discovering its new vision of becoming a truly pioneer in world-class art cinema society.

The ARK International Film Festival screens a broad range of works including animation, narrative, experimental and hybrid films that challenges the board of limit.

The ARK International Film Festival is committed to high-quality exhibition of all films at the festival and presents only work on digital formats.

The ARK International Film festival program is selected entirely from our blind submissions pool and no films are given a special treatment based on who made them, who they know, or whose friend is who. No politics, no names! Only a film works! ARK committees stand for the spirit of dream, respect who dream and focus on making it, and continue to champion the bleeding-edge of independent filmmaking.

The Ark International Film Festival is an event held in Seoul, the central capital city of South Korea. The Ark International Film Festival is the most one-kind-ever exquisitely elegant and beautiful film festival, to present a diverse slate to film enthusiasts in Asia. Our audience is a unique combination of film industry professionals, local, regional and International attendees, and a large film lover population.

It opens in the start of spring time in Seoul, known as a blooming city with K-pop, K-movie, and K-culture. Moreover, the festival screens and holds the cinema talk time with professionals, champagne networking receptions, and exclusive party events with only VIP pass in Gangnam, where is the central heart of Seoul with young and rich cultural audiences love to hang out.

The ARK International Film Festival is committed to supporting bold, independent, visionary cinema lovers and creative film artists, in order to adventure and advance the art form of film and new media. Our mission is to celebrate, inspire, encourage and engage communities with remarkable cinematic experiences, fun and blossom moments which carries a memory that counts as one to make our life to the best journey.

Awards & Prizes

ARK International Film Festival names winners in each of its categories and also honors films with certification, laurel, and special awards.

For features,

World Cinema Grand Jury Prizes
The highest award for the International Feature Film, Grand Jury Prize recognizes the best dramatic and artistic work in international independent filmmaking this year.

Directing Awards
The Directing Award honors directors in the International Feature Film Competition

Feature Film Jury Award: Best Director
Feature Film Jury Award: Best Cinematographer
Feature Film Jury Award: Best Production Designer
Feature Film Jury Award: Best Composer

Acting Awards
The Acting Award honors actors in the International Feature Film Competition

Feature Film Jury Award: Best actor
Feature Film Jury Award: Best actress

Special Jury Prizes
Jurors give a number of Special Jury Prizes recognizing excellence in the craft of filmmaking. These prizes are chosen by their respective jury members as they deem appropriate.

NEW Innovator Prize
This award recognizes the most innovative and forward-thinking film screened in the Experimental category. The prize is awarded by an iconic figure regarded as an important innovator to break the rules and make it to art with no fear. The Ark Film Festival will choose one film that we believe to be the most innovative.

ARK Favorite Award
All feature and short films in all the categories presented at the Festival are eligible for the ARK Favorite Award, which is determined by the Ark Film Festival committee and membership holders.

For shorts,

Jury Prizes and Awards in Short Filmmaking
The following prizes and awards are bestowed on short films in the ARK International Film Festival that exemplify outstanding vision and creativity in their respective categories:

Short Film Grand Jury Prize
Short Film Jury Award: International Narrative
Short Film Jury Award: International Experimental
Short Film Jury Award: International Documentary
Short Film Jury Award: International Animation
Short Film Jury Award: International B&W
Short Film Jury Award: International Poetry
Short Film Special Jury Awards

Rules & Terms

ARK International Film Festival aims to reveal and promote art and experimental films that tell stories out of the ordinary. We aim to promote art film productions that lasts forever from all over the world, with a focus on diversity, imagination and storytelling.

For all films the following rules apply:

1. All films must have been completed no earlier than January 1 2022
2. All submissions must be completely finished projects
3. Feature films must be over 60 minutes
4. Short films must be under 20 minutes
5. All the spoken languages or sign language are welcomed, But the film must have only English subtitles.
6. The films can be of any genre but must contain artistic or experimental elements.
The selection committee reserves the right to reject any film that contains explicit sexual violence, if it's gratuitous or in no way integral to the plot.

The film should be submitted and uploaded via online screener to filmfreeway.
Note: We can only screen films of the DCP format.

The Festival notes that the submission is for reviewing only and the submitted project will not be subject to any screenings.

Submission fee is non-refundable.
Submission fee waiver is not available.

(Please note! Ark International Film Festival will only accept film submissions entered via the FilmFreeway platform. We cannot consider any project that has not been officially submitted through FilmFreeway. The festival is unable to waive entry fees or provide discounts beyond any entries. You may submit any number of titles; however, a separate entry form, preview copy, and entry fee are required for each titles. Please refrain from sending direct messages with links or asking the fee waiver code via official emails to the Ark International Film Festival staff with your proposed titles(s). ARKIFF may disqualify or reject any film that is not submitted in this manner and cannot promise a response to your emails if your project has not been officially entered via FilmFreeway.)

We prioritize Korea and ASIA Premieres.

Not Selected film:
All films that have not been selected will receive a message on the notification date. Please note that we won't be able to give individual feedback as to why the project hasn't been selected.

Selected film:
If your movie is selected, the festival will provide a notice via email.
If your movie is selected, the festival will not pay any screening fees.
If your movie is selected, the festival will not cover filmmakers' travel expenses.

By submitting, you agree to grant the Festival the right to use all provided content (materials and metadata) for promotional purposes for the Festival. This may involve posting on social media, website and other festival publications such as catalogues etc. Trailers and other video files will be uploaded to our youtube channel where they will be hidden only accessible through our website.

It is the responsibility of the filmmaker to clear all rights before your film screens at the Festival and the Festival will not be liable for any costs if this is not cleared before the screening of the film.

The Project’s copyright owner and filmmaker, that the exhibition of the project in the ARK International Film Festival will not violate or infringe any copyright, patent, privacy right, publicity right, trademark, service mark or any other personal or property right of any person or entity, and that the project does not and will not constitute or include any defamation of any person or entity.

All license fees, clearance fees, and other obligations, of any kind, arising from or associated with the exhibition of the Project in or in connection with the Festival, have been and will be timely paid in full.

The projection format must be only DCP.
Once a movie is selected by the ARK International Film Festival's Selection Committee and cleared with the rights holding party, it can in no case be removed from the program.

Selection Cancellation

a. The film selection may be subject to cancellation at any time if there is any false or misleading information on the submission.

b. Festival may request the documentary evidence for copyrights and portrait rights of the selected film before or after the Festival period. If the applicant fails to provide evidence, the film selection or award may be subject to cancellation.

c. If it is proved that the film or those associated with the film are involved in any type of violation of basic human rights, including but not limited to discrimination, harassment or illegal activities during the production, promotion or screening of a film, the Festival reserves the right to invalidate the selection and any award of the film. 


Requirements for Selected Films 

The films selected in the official screening section must submit the film materials requested by Festival before the deadline.

1. Film information

2. English synopsis

3. Three to five high quality images of the film

4. Director’s biography

5. Director’s filmography

6. High quality photo of the director

7. Credits 


The Ark programmer's decisions are final.

Ark International Film Festival's organizers reserve rights to change, amend and/or cancel the dates, venue, awards & categories, any part of the festival program without consent or information to contestants.

The undersigned shall indemnify and hold harmless Ark International Film Festival from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages and expenses (including but not limited to, attorney's fees and costs of the court) which may be incurred by reason of any claim involving copyright, trademark, credits, publicity, screening and loss of or damage to the screening videos entered.

Please note that by submitting your film you agree to the rules and regulations for the ARK International Film Festival 2024.