PiFan Launches 2 New Awards

The 13th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival, taking place July 16 – 26, has announced the launch of 2 new awards this year, the NETPAC and the Fujifilm Eterna award. Both awards will be presided over by juries, with the former going to an Asian film and the latter to a Korean film.

The NETPAC award will be given out to the best Asian film in the 'Off the Fantastic' section which introduces new offbeat genre films from throughout Asia. PiFan has created the Fujifilm Eterna Award for the purpose of promoting Korean independent feature films. As a prize, 8000ft of Fujifilm Eterna will be awarded to the best Korean independent feature film.

Award-winners will be announced July 23 at the Closing Night Ceremony, although screenings will continue until the 26th. Heading this year's Puchon Choice Jury which presents awards in five categories is Tony Rayns, a British specialist in Asian cinema, festival programmer and contributor to Sight and Sounds magazine.

Acclaimed Korean actress Chu Sang-mi ("On the Occasion of Remembering the Turning Gate") and director Yoon Jong-chan "(I am Happy") will also sit on the jury, along with Japanese producer Yasuhiro MASE (Memories of Matsuko) and American producer at Universal, Jason RESNICK (co-producer of Park Chan-wook's "Thirst").

The Puchon Choice Short jury is comprised this year of Korean producer Hanna Lee ("Secret Sunshine"), emerging actor-director Yang Ik-june ("Breathless") and Todd Brown, founding member and editor of US-based online film magazine Twitch.

The NETPAC jury will consist of Hong Kong film and media curator Teresa KWONG, Chosun Ilbo film critic LEE Dong Jin, and film lecturer and int'l fest programmer Sozo TERUOKA. The Fujifilm Eterna Award will be determined by three prominent Korean film critics and writers, HUH Ji Woong, JUNG Ji Yeon, and LA Je Gi.

Nigel D'Sa (KOFIC)