The EBS International Documentary Film Festival started recruiting audience panels on June 21.

The participants will cast votes for the grand prize, the Grand Prix prize, and the audience panel award under the two main competitive sections, “Festival Choice: Global” and “Festival Choice: Asia.” The panels will also have to choose the best audience panel award as well.

The winner of the audience panel award will be decided by adding up the audience panel’s votes and the viewer’s vote, and the winner will be granted a prize worth some 4 million Korean won ($3,542).

This year marks the 18th anniversary of the six-day event, which kicks off on Aug 23.

All movie fans above 18 are welcome to apply for the position. The EIDF Secretariat aims to convene around 10 people for the panel, and acceptances will be sent to applicants on July 26.

Foreigners fluent in Korean are eligible for the position as the reviews and communication will be conducted in Korean, an official said. The official added that the secretariat hadn’t received any foreign candidates so far.

Those who wish to apply must submit documents that include an application form, documentary film review, and a personal Information Collection and Usage Agreement. More details can be found on the EIDF’s official website.

The elected panelists will receive a simple orientation at the EBS Digital Headquarters a week before the festival. They will then watch around 10 to 15 films in advance and evaluate and rate the movies using a star rating system.

The audience reviewers will be allowed to post movie reviews of 20 words or less on EIDF’s official social media, receive special packages, a certificate, and a 12-month unlimited streaming pass on D-BOX, a documentary-only video service platform.

The audience panel was newly created as the COVID-19 pandemic stood in the way of cinema screenings last year. The secretariat also added that it would continue with the review team to garner different voices and tastes across various groups for honest feedback.