Kang Ae-shim's starring film Rude Dawn has been selected for competition at a leading French short film festival.

On February 5, production company Bulldozer Studio announced that Rude Dawn received an official invitation to the competition section of the 48th Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival.

The Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival is regarded as one of the world's top three short film festivals and is often dubbed the "Cannes of short films." It also grants qualification for major awards, including Academy Awards consideration.

Albatross Pictures, which oversees the film's international distribution, described the selection as "a case of a Korean short film breaking through to the global market."

Rude Dawn follows a single day in the life of Young-ok, a woman in her 60s working as a designated driver. Across its 16-minute runtime, the film explores labor, dignity, and the weight of silence.

Kang Ae-shim portrays Young-ok, who returns to the driver's seat to endure the loneliness of old age. Her restrained performance delicately conveys the character's inner world.

The Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival runs from January 30 through February 7.