| LEE Seo's Missing Person Wins Greek Honors (Source) |
2009/11/30 |
Debut director LEE Seo's dark social critique "Missing Person" won Artistic Achievement award at the 50th Thessaloniki International Film Festival (TIFF) in Greece, which ran Nov. 13 – 22. The film, which will have its local release Dec. 17, had its world premiere at Korea's Jeonju International Film Festival in May of this year, where it won the top prize of Best Film.
"Missing Person" is the fourth Korean film to win at TIFF, with KIM Tae-yeong's "Family Ties" ("The Birth of a Family") winning four awards in 2006, including the Golden Alexander. LEE's independent but thrilling debut examines the crueler aspects of Korea's hierarchical social system through the tale of a real estate agent who exploits and abuses anyone weaker than him. Soon dogs in the town mysteriously go missing and then people.
Nigel D'Sa (KOFIC)... |More
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| 10th JIFF Draws to Close (Source) |
2009/05/18 |
A Whole Host of Winners at JIFF 2009
Jeonju Film Festival Closes with Great Expectations
By Matthew Love
Associate Editor & Writer
Sherad Anthony Sanchez's "Imbrunal" winner of this years JIFF Woosuk Award for International Film
The Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) ended its nine day celebration of independent and art cinema on Friday night (May 9th) with Uberto Pasolini's latest feature "Machan" (2008).
The closing film, a comedy drama about a group of hapless young Sri-Lankan men trying to get to Europe, in search of a better life by forming a national handball team to compete in an international tournament, was an excellent finale to compliment a fine collection of work on exhibition at this years' JIFF dedicated to Sri Lankan cinema.
The JIFF, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, was its biggest and most successful year to date, with attendances from industry, foreign press and the general public substantially increased on previous years. A good nu... |More
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| 10th Jeonju Film Fest Wraps with Awards (Source) |
2009/05/15 |
The 10th anniversary edition of the Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF), wrapped up May 8, with record attendance and awards for a slew of exciting new films. Ticket sales were up 5,500 from the previous year with total admissions at 70,762, averaging a 77.6% seat occupancy rate.
This year 200 films from 42 countries were screened, including world premieres of a dozen new Korean features. JIFF's top prize, the Woosuk Award, went to Philippine director Sherad Anthony Sanchez's Imburnal, worth US$10,000. It also won the NETPAC award.
In the Korean feature film competition, director LEE Seo's debut "Missing Person", an independent thriller, won the JJ-Star award for best film. Special mentions went to SIM Sang-kook's "Where is Ronny"... and MIN Hwan-ki's "Sogyumo Acacia Band's Story".
Acclaimed director SIN Dong-il drew much attention with the premiere of his third feature "Bandhobi", which won the audience award and CJ CGV Korean film distribution support award whic... |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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