10 Reasons Behind the Rise of the Pusan International Film Festival
By Kim Ki-tae
Staff Reporter
When the nation's first international film festival was envisioned in Pusan, few expected it to be as big as it is now. With a relatively brief history of 10 years, it has grown into Asia's biggest and the world's most dynamic movie festivals. Then, what first propelled PIFF? The Korea Times gets a glimpse at the 10 engines behind the fast drive of the 10-year-old festival.
1. Thirst for Non-Hollywood Films
The launching of PIFF in 1996 was in sync with a new trend in the theatergoing customs in Korea. Fed up with Hollywood films, many Korean film lovers began to turn their eyes to something different. Some even went as far as getting English-subtitled, pirated videotapes of films from the Middle East or Eastern Europe. Reflecting such a thirst, Andrei Tarkovsky's cryptic "The Sacrifice" drew more than 30,000 viewers to a single art house cinema in 1995, even causing critic's jaws to drop.
When the first PIFF opened, it was great news to film fanatics. No wonder they crowded Nampo-dong and Haeundae and, in response, the festival showered them with 170 films from 27 nations. The cautious launching became an immediate hit. Since then, it has become fashionable for some young Koreans to see four or five films a day in Pusan, while sleeping at a tacky motel or a relative's house.
2. Rise of Korean Films
PIFF's history coincides with the rise of the Korean film industry. According to Korean Film Council, Korean films combined accounted for only 15.9 percent of the domestic film market in 1993, then marking a 10-year record low, but since that year it showed a stable increase to reach 53.5 percent in 2003. And located in the very middle of the rising curve is the nation's first international film festival.
"The development of Korean films have backed up and bolstered PIFF", said Kim Mee-hyun, officials at the Council said.
On the other hand, however, some contend that it is PIFF that contributed to rather than benefited from the booming Korean film industry.
Or, maybe you can say that both have mutually benefited each other.
3. Film Magazines
Another unnoticed but remarkable factor behind PIFF's success seems to be a number of film weeklies, mostly founded since 1995. In particular, the nation has three major film-only weeklies, easily seen on subway vendors' stands. Though seemingly remote from PIFF's success, the weeklies are viewed as having contributed significantly to familiarizing art house films with young generations. Thanks to them, such names as Abbas Kiarostami or Krzysztof Kieslowski are not at all foreign to some young Koreans.
These trend-setting magazines make visiting PIFF most fashionable among the youth.
4. Short and Sweet Ceremonies
Big events often feature big wheels, and often drawn out speeches or boring ceremonies. PIFF does not have any kind of those, except a brief opening by its organizing committee chairman, the host city's mayor.
With the festival's success, many jostle to bathe in the glorious spotlight of the opening ceremonies. For example, during the last presidential elections, candidates were known to be eager to take to the podium, but were turned away. The committee has kept a strict policy to keep the festival as a platform for film lovers only.
5. Kim Dong-ho
When Kim Dong-ho was appointed as head of the now Korea Film Council in 1988, the Korean filmmaking circle openly objected "this unprofessional figure" at the post. Now 17 years later, few, probably none, would dispute pointing to Kim as the biggest engine behind PIFF's success.
His magnetic charisma has played a critical role in directing PIFF through thick and thin, forming harmony within the organizing committee and setting up a global network in the international film industry. A committee official's private comment that she has never lost respect for him for even a minute during the 10-straight years seems no exaggeration.
6. Riding on the Wave of Asian Films
Since the 80s, a row of Chinese and Taiwanese filmmakers created stirs at Western major film festivals, raising interests in Asian films in the other hemisphere.
However, few Asian film events effectively served as a window to the continent's film scenes until PIFF positioned itself as an Asia-oriented festivity. One film industry insider even argues that PIFF somehow owes a lot to the Chinese filmmakers, at least in the first few years of its success. PIFF also aptly has made most of its role bridging between lesser known Asian film circles and international reviewers.
7. Port Full of Cinephiles
"Once visiting Pusan, they are coming back". If there is any formula concerning PIFF, it could be one. Foreign directors and producers often became so impressed and agape by the audience's fever they quickly make promises to return. And they do.
For example, Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul was once quoted by a local daily saying that back in his homeland, few recognize him on streets, but in Pusan, he occasionally has to stop to sign autographs for his Korean fans.
PIFF does not have glamorous Hollywood stars or dogged paparazzi but boasts a number of passionate cinephiles bombarding with questions directors love to answer.
8. Let Them Come Back
There are many film markets in major international film festivals that deal with completed films. Seeking a niche market, PIFF has come up with the Pusan Promotion Plan (PPP) to connect investors and directors from the early planning phase of a film.
The new concept succeeded in drawing numerous promising filmmakers and deep pockets around the world. Now, many investors see the PPP as a chance to "procure" the cream of the crop of Asian cinema. In response, many Asian filmmakers, even world-renowned directors like Fruit Chan and
Kim Ki-duk, are coming to Pusan with their new projects.
9. Clever Positioning
Since its outset, PIFF has defined itself as a non-competitive film festival, except for its minor New Currents section. And it turned out to be a clever positioning. While most of other Asian competition film festivals were in vain trying to get fine films premiered in their home ahead of other giants like Venice, Berlin or Cannes, PIFF could effectively consolidate its status as an uncompetitive but Asia-focused festival by avoiding competition with Western powerhouses.
10. `Piffle'
The organizing committee affectionately call people involved in the festival "Piffle", a combination of PIFF and people. There are many Piffle who have sweated behind every scene for the 10 years. To name a few, Lee Yong-kwan, vice director, was known to be the one who persuaded Kim Dong-ho to join the festival from its outset and has played an instrumental role since the beginning.
Programmers
Kim Ji-seok and Jay Jeon are known to be the first to come up with the idea of the nation's first international film festival. They have also served as messengers venturing to every corner of the Asian film scene to deliver the finest products to Pusan over the 10 years.
Few can deny that the passionate staffers of the organizing committee, without any reported major internal friction, account for much of PIFF's successful decade.
And of course, we can't forget the volunteers. This year alone, more than 3,000 cinephiles apply for 529 openings.
When asked what most contributes to the success, Lee So-young, the committee's general affairs manager said briefly but succinctly, "It's people. Really, it's people".
Other reasons for the festival's success include Pusan City's financially supporting the event but refraining from bureaucratic intervention in order to keep the festive mood alive despite its financial support. Some also say that the festival's location at the port city also gives also romantic and festive mood to the now 10-year-old event.
Other suggest that energetic but usually pent-up Koreans somehow need some excuse to go mad like they did during the World Cup and PIFF successfully gives such a rare opportunity for them to vent their energy.
