It has been revealed that the animated film "Candy," based on a picture book by Korean picture book author Baek Heena, has been officially invited to the Wide Angle Short Film Showcase category at the 29th Busan International Film Festival. The full-CG short animated film by Toei Animation is the first collaboration in about 20 years between director Nishio Daisuke, known for "Dragon Ball Z," "The Kindaichi Case Files," and "Futari wa Pretty Cure," and producer Washio Ten, also known as the creator of the Pretty Cure series.
The production team from Dandelion Animation Studio, who worked on "The First Slam Dunk," gathered together to produce the film. Sato Naoki, known for the Pretty Cure series, composed the music. The film will have its domestic premiere at the Sapporo International Short Film Festival on October 13th in Japan, and will also be screened at the Kineko International Film Festival from November 2nd to 4th.
The film is based on the picture books "Candy" and "I'm a Dog." The film has been the talk of the town, winning the Jury Prize and Audience Award in the Short Animation Competition at the 25th New York International Children's Film Festival, and was also selected for the Jury Prize in the Children's Short Film Category at the 64th Zlín International Children's and Young People's Film Festival. At the 29th Busan International Film Festival, there will be a talk session between the original author Baek and producer Washio after the screening on October 3rd and 4th.
The original author Baek commented, "It's unfortunate that we couldn't produce it in Korea, but I'm very happy that the Japanese production team worked sincerely on it and we were able to complete a work that I'm satisfied with. The picture book 'Candy' is a work that has been loved by Korean readers, so I was concerned that the Korean sentiment, background, and identity would become unclear, but the video production team paid close attention, including conducting thorough location scouting in Seoul. I was deeply moved by their attitude of respecting the original work."
