Breathless (Movie - 2008)

44 Korean Films at the 2009 Marrakech International Film Festival

Source | 2009/11/19 | 0 comments | Permalink |

In a celebration of Korean film, a record 44 will screen at this year's 2009 International Film Festival of Marrakech. In addition, representatives from Korean government organizations, the Korean film industry: producers, directors, actors and film festival delegates will be in attendance. The festival, which began in 2000 has in the past focused on the national cinemas of Italy, Egypt and Spain. This year, signaling the growing importance of Korean film and certainly spurred by recent successes such as BONG Joon-ho's "Mother - 2009" and PARK Chan-wook's "Thirst", the festival turns its eyes to South Korea.

A whole host of Korean directors will accompany their films to the festival: IM Kwon-taek, the godfather of Korean cinema with "Surrogate Mother" (1986), "Seopyeonjae" (1993) "Chihwaseon" ("Strikes of Fire" - 2002) and more; LEE Do-yong "The Oldest Son" (1984); LEE Chang-ho "The Man with Three" Coffins (1988); JANG Sun-woo "Lies" (1999) and other directors; PARK Chan-wook "T...| More

PARK's Paju to Open Rotterdam Film Festival

Source | 2009/11/19 | 0 comments | Permalink |

PARK Chan-ok's second feature "Paju" has been selected as the opening film at 39th International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), set to run Jan. 27 – Feb. 7 next year in the Netherlands' port city. Rutger Wolfson, the festival's director, called "Paju" a "triumph of resilience and a powerful female voice from Asia, ambitious and intimate at the same time".

Director PARK is no stranger to Rotterdam. In 2003, her feature debut "Jealousy is My Middle Name", won the IFFR's Tiger Award for best film. In 2006, her project "Paju" was launched at IFFR's co-production maket, CineMart. PARK and the film's two leads will attend the upcoming IFFR to introduce the film to the opening night audience.

Starring LEE Seon-gyoon ("Sa-kwa"), SEO Woo ("Crush and Blush"), SIM I-yeong, and KIM Bo-kyeong, it is an atmospheric tale of a schoolgirl (SEO) in love with her sister's husband (LEE). When her sister dies mysteriously, she suspects him of murder and complex emotions arise between them.
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Gangwon Beckons Collegian Cineastes, Stars

Source | 2009/11/16 | 0 comments | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, will become a playground for cinephiles and student directors during an international collegian film festival, Nov. 26 to 29. But as much as the event aims to foster future talent, educational initiatives will invite cineastes of international renown, including Japanese superstar Joe Odagiri.

The 2009 International College Peace Film Festival (ICPFF) will open under the theme "Dreaming of Becoming a Cineaste?" featuring over 300 films from some 30 countries, ranging from experimental to animation flicks. College students will vie for prizes in a competition, while works by esteemed filmmakers will be shown in an out-of-competition section.

"Cries and Whispers", a graduation piece by a team of Youngsan University students, will open the festival. "This is the first time we've seen a student film rendered in stereoscopic 3D. The filmmakers were of course short on budget but received funding from 3D Lab. Korea, and the ...| More

Korea culture to be on the screen at 4th London Korean Film Festival

Source | 2009/11/06 | 0 comments | Permalink |

The fourth London Korean Film Festival 2009 runs from Nov. 1 to 18 and already some of the big name directors in Korea have flown to the United Kingdom to promote Korean movies. Prior celebrations and functions aside, the actual first screening was on Thursday (Nov. 5).

This year's film festival, with 25 feature films and four animations from Korea, is organized by the Korean Cultural Center in the United Kingdom and the Korea Creative Content Agency, with the support of the Korean government.

The films will be screened at the BFI (British Film Institute) from Nov. 1 to 14; the London Barbican Centre from Nov. 5 to 12; Manchester Cornerhouse from Nov. 7 to 9; and Nottingham Broadway Cinema from Nov. 16 to 18.

Some award-winning directors from Korea, namely director Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon-ho will visit London with their respective works, "Thirst" (2009) and "Mother - 2009" (2009). The Thirst, which won a Jury Prize at the 62nd Cannes International Film Festival this year,...| More

"Breathless" at Toronto's Reel Asian Film Festival

Source | 2009/10/23 | 0 comments | Permalink |

"Breathless"'s international momentum is taking it to the Reel Asian International Film Festival in Toronto. YANG Ik-joon's low budget HD feature which has played at film festivals all over the globe including the Barcelona Asian Film Festival, the Deauville Asian Film festival and won awards at the Vladivostok International Film Festival, the Fantastic Fest 2009 and at Rotterdam, is the closing night film at the Reel Asia IFF. Fish Story, a Japanese/Korean co-production funded in part by CJ Entertainment will also feature. Also notably, North Korean film "A School Girl's Diary" (2007) will premiere at the festival. This feature directed by JANG In-hak focuses on the daughter of a national researcher in North Korea.

The Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, which began in 1997, specializes in films from East Asia and South East Asia as well as films made by Asian Canadian/American film makers. The festival runs November 11 through to the 15th.

David Oxenbridge (KOFI...| More