Jin Guang-hao (김광호-金光浩)

Rotterdam fest to highlight various Korean films

2008/01/18 | Source | Permalink |

The 37th International Film Festival Rotterdam, scheduled to run from January 23 to February 3, will present a broad selection of Korean films in its line-up.

Although no Korean films will compete in the festival's main competition section for first and second films, the short film Waiting will participate in the festival's short film competition. The film, which was commissioned by the Jeonju International Film Festival as part of its Short! Short! Short! project, centers on a woman waiting for a train who encounters a boy who acts in strange ways. This marks the second year in the row that the film's director, KIM Jong-kwan, has had a short film competing at Rotterdam.

Three Korean features will screen in the Sturm und Drang (Cinema of the Future) section. The omnibus "Fantastic Parasuicides" centers on people who undergo surreal experiences at the moment they decide to kill themselves. "Hanging Tough" – directed by PARK Soo-yeong – is about a high school girl who wants to ...| More

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

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

12th Pusan International Film Festival Closes

2007/10/15 | Source | Permalink |

Japanese Anime Is Closing Film in 2007 PIF

By Junni Ogborne
Staff Reporter

The 12th Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) drew to a close on Friday night (Oct. 5, 2007), with crowds gathering at the Busan Yachting Center to watch the closing movie, an outdoor screening of Hideaki Anno's "Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone". The film is the first in a four-part theatrical animation series based on a hugely popular Japanese Anime TV series.

The screening was preceded by a spectacular fireworks display and the requisite awards and closing speeches. Festival Director Kim Dong-ho thanked the crowd for attending was then deservedly awarded UNESCO's Federico Fellini Medal for his work with the PIFF and contribution to "defending cultural diversity".

Known to jump on scooters in order to hop between the many industry parties at Busan and for the relentless work schedule he keeps, the work hard-play hard head of PIFF is showing no signs of slowing down despite having reached th...| More

Thriving Pusan festival seeks balance in 12th year

2007/10/13 | Source | Permalink |

'Asian producers and actors need to find an economic model for themselves. It should be homegrown'. Gore Verbinski,director of "Pirates of the Caribbean"

BUSAN ― Just like the weather, the 2007 Pusan International Film Festival had both sunny and cloudy features as it wrapped up its 12-day run yesterday in Korea's second largest city.
The 12th annual festival closed with a screening of the film, "Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone", a Japanese animation by Hideaki Anno.
Jury members yesterday announced winners of the New Currents competition section of the Pusan festival, which featured 11 low-budget independent films produced in seven Asian nations.
This year, there were three first-place winners: "Flower in a Pocket" by Malaysian director Seng Tat Liew, "Wonderful Town" by Thai director Aditya Assarat and "Life Track" by Korean-Chinese director Kim Gwang-ho (JIN Guang-hao). Flower in a Pocket" is a warm and witty description of two children in multi-cultural Malaysia...| More