A Shark (2005) - 상어 (Sang-eo)

12th PIFF Wraps with Awards

2007/10/16 | Source | Permalink |

The 12th Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) came to a close October 12 th after a 9 day run that drew a record-breaking attendance. An official tally of 198,603 admissions were taken during the event, up nearly 6000 from last year, while overall occupancy for screenings reached 75.8%. Both opening and closing films were sold out, with PIFF a total of 271 films from 65 countries.

Winners in the festival's only competitive section, New Currents, were announced at an award ceremony with 3 films sharing the honor, each winning US$30 000. Korean-Chinese director JIN Guang-hao won for his feature debut, the KOFIC-supported "Life Track" . Malaysian director Seng Tat LIEW won for his first feature "Flower in the Pocket", and Aditya ASSARAT of Thailand was awarded for his sophomore effort "Wonderful Town" . "Flower in the Pocket" also snagged the audience award, while the FIPRESCI award went to "The Red Awn" by CAI Shangjun of China.

JIN's "Life Track" is an unpretentious and stir...| 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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Cinematheque Busan Screens Subtitled Indies

2007/06/04 | Source | Permalink |

Cinematheque Busan will screen independent Korean films with English subtitles aimed at foreigners from June 7 until the 19th. Five films are selected for the Korean Indie Cinema Panorama program (Hangook Indieui Him): KIM Ki-duk's "Breath" (Soom), KIM Dong-hyun's "A Shark" (Sangeo), NOH Dong-seok's "Boys of Tomorrow" (Wooriege Naeireun Eobta), KIM Tae-sik's "Driving with My Wife's Lover" (Anaeui Aeineul Mannada) and SIN Yeon-sik's "A Great Actor" (Joheun Baewoo).

"Driving with My Wife's Lover" opened in local cinemas earlier this year after a successful run at international film festivals which originated at last year's Pusan International Film Festival. Locating and hailing the taxi of his wife's lover is only the easy part, from then on, the protagonist struggles with how to confront the taxi driver, himself and bizarre incidents.

"Breath" was selected by the Cannes International Film Festival for its competition section. It was also one of the big-hitters at the Cannes Mark...| More

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KOFIC awards marketing support for arthouse/digital films

2006/11/29 | Source | Permalink |

The Korean Film Council has announced the recipients of the second phase of its 2006 Marketing Support for Arthouse and Digital Films fund. The fund provides financial support to arthouse works or digital features to promote diversity on the nation's screens and to help such films compete in a marketplace with increasingly stringent commercial demands.

In the case of arthouse films, 50 million won (~$54,000) will be provided to pay for advertising and other kinds of marketing costs, including the cost of striking prints for release. In Korea's competitive distribution environment, low-budget works face a particularly difficult struggle in getting noticed by viewers, and so this fund is intended to provide assistance in this area. A total of 11 features were submitted for consideration

In the case of feature-length digital films, 25 million won (~$27,000) will be provided towards the rental of a DLP digital projector, so that such works can be screened in their original format. In...| More

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Varied new Korean films on display at PIFF

2006/11/03 | Source | Permalink |

The 11th edition of the Pusan International Film Festival drew attention for its various industry sidebars and other events, but those festival attendees who focused on the program itself declared it to be a good year for new Korean films.

Independent filmmakers in particular turned out a large number of interesting projects, which look sure to turn up at other major international festivals in the coming months. Some examples include < "No Regret" >, the feature debut of acclaimed indie director LEE SONG-Hee-il, about a male escort who becomes romantically involved with a rich man. Apart from the critical praise it earned, international rights to the film was also picked up by Fortissimo – one of the arthouse world's most famous sales companies.

< Ad-Lib Night > by director LEE Yoon-ki, about a woman who agrees to "stand in" as the daughter of a dying man, was also warmly received. After debuting with the award-winning < This Charming Girl > in 2004, LEE returned with < "Love Tal...| More

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