Yoon Seong-ho (윤성호)

In Jeonju, spring brings wonderful films

2008/04/19 | Source | Permalink |

By Nigel D'Sa
Contributing Writer

The 9th Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) is nearing, and an impressive line-up of films has been announced for this year's event.

Set in its picturesque namesake city in Jeollabuk-do (province), JIFF runs May 1-9, bringing together innovative and independent films and filmmakers from around the world.

This year's program boasts a record total of 169 films with opening night going to Manda Kunitoshi's The Kiss in its International Premiere.

Japanese writer-turned-director Manda has already gained notice and won prizes at Cannes for his previous films, making this latest work highly anticipated.

JIFF's curtain-closer will be the Korean omnibus film "If You Were Me 4", produced by the National Human Rights Commission.

Each film in the series has a human rights issue as its theme with past concerns ranging from discrimination to forced surgery and bringing together a group of talented directors.

This year's project fe...| More

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Korean Films Premiering at 9th JIFF

2008/04/16 | Source | Permalink |

Ten Korean features will have their World Premiere at the Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) this spring. Now in it's 9th edition the festival will run May 1st – 9th in the attractive and historical city of Jeonju, in North Jeolla province.

Korean highlights include documentary director KIM Dong-won's latest, "63 Years On", about the 'comfort women' enslaved by the Japanese military in stations across Asia during WW2. The film provides an historical investigation along with interviews with victims still living in Korea, China, and the Philippines. KIM is best known for his 2003 film Repatriation which raised the documentary genre to commercial prominence in South Korea.

In the Korean Cinema on the Move section, presents 10 new independent features mostly by debut directors. Among the most interesting are "Synching Blue" by SEO Won-tae, a director whose shorts films have garnered praise for their visual arrangements. This HD feature is about a man who seeks comfort i...| More

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9th JIFF Announces Stellar Line-up

2008/04/09 | Source | Permalink |

The 9th edition of the Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF), second only to Pusan among Korea's top movie-going events, will take place May 1 – 9, 2008 in its picturesque namesake city, in North Jeolla province. At a press conference held in Seoul last week, JIFF announced an impressive line-up of 169 films.

Festival opener will be MANDA Kunitoshi's The Kiss in its International Premiere. Japanese writer-turned-director MANDA has already gained notice and won prizes at Cannes for his previous films, making his latest work highly anticipated.

Korean anthology film If You Were Me 4 will close the festival, this time featuring five shorts on the theme of contemporary Korean youth. Rising Korean directors including BANG Eun-jin ("Princess Aurora"), KIM Tae-yong ("Family Ties" - "The Birth of a Family"), and YOON Seong-ho ("Milky Way Liberation Front") participated.

JIFF has renamed its 'Indie Vision' section the 'International Competition' section, raising its profile...| More

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The Fruits of Korean Independent Film Support

2007/10/31 | Source | Permalink |

Consistent support provided for independent films by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) in order to diversify Korean films is bearing various significant results.

First of all, a new venue 'INDIE SPACE' will open in Myeong-dong's Spongehouse (3rd floor of the old Joongang Cinema building). This is the result of a project to develop and promote an independent film theater network to secure screens to show indie films and enliven distribution and production. Films to be shown at INDIE SPACE will focus on independent feature films produced domestically, promising at least 2 weeks of screening, and also on introducing outstanding foreign films. There are also plans for special projects showcasing diverse independent films.

As its first event, an Opening Film Festival is to be held from Nov. 8~21, promoting INDIE SPACE. Films chosen for the festival include "Life Track" by JIN Guang-Hao who received the New Currents award at PIFF, and director YOON Seong-ho's "Milky Way Liberation Fro...| More

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Korean Films Premiering at PIFF

2007/10/02 | Source | Permalink |

A slew of Korean features will have their World Premiere at the 12th Pusan International Film Festival, which opens October 4 for a 9 day run. A special highlight of the festival is "The Friends", a long-awaited second feature from director LEE Yeong-jae, whose debut was the endearing classic "The Harmonium in My Memory" (1999). The Friends is the story of three 6th graders who, curious about death, decide to visit a dying old man.

Films from new voices and recent film school graduates include KIM Sun-hee's "Drawing Paper", her HD feature debut - a coming-of-age story about the members of a girls high school band, and "Somewhere Over Here" by debut director LEE Seung-young, a similar-themed story of a young musically inclined girl discovering life.

The documentary "Lineage of the Voice" follows two boys from very different backgrounds as they develop their talent for the traditional singing practice called pansori. It is directed by Baek Yeon-ah, who was the editor on Daniel...| More

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