| Festival Celebrates Indie Film Spirit (Source) |
2009/12/13 |
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
The past year was a fruitful one for local independent cinema, with Lee Chung-ryoul's documentary "Old Partner" rewriting box office history for the genre and Yang Ik-joon's "Breathless" blazing through international film festivals. The festivity culminates with the Seoul Independent Film Festival (SIFF), which continues through Friday in Spongehouse Myeongdong (Joongang Cinema).
The annual year-end event kicked off on Dec. 11 under the theme "Hit and Run". This year SIFF received a whopping record of 722 submissions, up about 100 from last year. A total of 45 works (34 shorts, 11 features) have been selected to compete for several cash prizes. The awards, including the grand prize, amount to 51 million won and will be given out to outstanding works regardless of genre.
In addition to the competition pool, works by Filipino independent cineastes and Korean-Chinese director Zhang Lu, as well as animation pieces and noteworthy shorts and documenta... |More
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| Jeonju Unveils Korean Competition Films (Source) |
2009/04/09 |
The 10th Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF), one of Korea's three major cinema showcases along with PIFF and PiFan, has revealed a selection of 11 new films for its Korean Feature Competition section that will vie for the JJ Star Award for top film, a cash award of 10 million Won.
Among the films selected are director SIN Dong-il's third feature, "Bandhobi", which tells about the relationship between a Bangladeshi laborer and a Korean high school girl. SIN debuted with the award-winning "Host and Guest" (2005) and followed it up with the critically praised "My Friend and His Wife" (2006).
Other notables include LIM Soon-rye's latest, "Fly, Penguin", a human-rights themed drama starring MOON So-ri; KIM Eung-su's HD feature "The Origin of Water" about a mysterious painting and a man who goes in search of the scenery depicted in it.
Feature debut directors are many, including CHO Kyeong-duk with "Sex Volunteer", SIM Sang-kook with "Where is Ronny... ", KIM Aaron with ... |More
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| Film Festival Spotlights Korean Diaspora (Source) |
2008/08/26 |
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
Outside of the Korean Peninsula, some 7 million ethnic Koreans ― labeled Joseon or Goryeo "saram", Corean or Korean depending on geography ― dot the globe. A film festival aims to bring the Korean Diaspora into scope and inspire communication and understanding among the different branches: the 4th Corean Network Film Festival (CNFF) presents 24 films from eight countries beginning Thursday through Sunday at Indiespace in Myeongdong, central Seoul.
The festival allows the audience to explore different facets of the Korean experience through films that are either about the Diaspora or are made by directors of Korean heritage. "Neither Fish, Nor Fowl" (2002, Germany) by Matthias Keilich will open the festival Thursday evening. Michael, adopted by his German family at a young age, is constantly searching for his identity, not feeling neither fully German nor Korean. When he falls in love with Jin-hi, a Korean immigrant, his ignorance of the... |More
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| Movies From Mongolia Show Warm Humanity Bloom in Barren Deserts (Source) |
2007/11/06 |
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
From the bleak wastelands of Mongolia come two heartwarming tales ― "Tuya's Marriage" and "Desert Dream" ― that speak about the incredible power of hope, courage and love in life. In the two movies, individual lives cross paths and stumble upon the unexpected. One desert woman leaves her disabled husband to remarry, only so that she can take care of her former spouse, and finds newfound meaning of love and self worth. Another one defects from North Korea with her son to find home ― and love ― in an unfamiliar place.
Tuya's Marriage
Winner of the 2007 Golden Berlin Bear, "Tuya's Marriage" tells the unforgettable story of a woman who breaks the conventional rules of marriage so that she can ― ironically ― honor them. In the middle of the vast desert in Inner Mongolia, Tuya leads a tough yet peaceful life with her husband and two children. But when an accident cripples her husband, she is forced to carry on, herdi... |More
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| Human Emotions at This Year's PIFF (Source) |
2007/09/28 |
A film festival is like a person: capable of making people laugh, it can also be neglected, rising and falling with the joys and sorrows of life. Nurtured with love from an early age, it prospers. So it is with the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF), which marks its 12th birthday in the southern port city also spelled Busan this year. The 12th PIFF, now the leading Asian film festival, is held at Haeundae Beach and Nampo-dong in Busan from Oct. 4 to 12. The 275 films from 64 countries to be shown focus on several multiple aspects of our lives, from personal growth to alienation and family love.
Growth - "Nowhere to Turn" (Korea) directed by Lee Seung-yeong, 2007
The director's first feature film draws on his own experiences. In it, the heroine dreams of becoming a musician as she wanders around Hongik University. The vicissitudes of her life are depicted frankly in the movie. Lee also won acclaim for his previous film "I'm Not That Kind of Person".
Pain - "Ezra" (Niger... |More
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