This year’s Busan International Film Festival – one of the key players in the Asian film market and indicators of emerging Asian film talent – experimented with a hybrid approach akin to Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Bifan). In-person theaters filled up at 25 percent capacity, requiring a strict set of health screenings and restrictions for all attendees. Online screenings remained – well – online, but — interestingly enough — multinational screenings were cast simultaneously. This allowed certain Q&As to be conducted in real-time, wherein Korean audiences could speak to international guests within theatres.
Though there are less awards than last year, Korean productions still dominate this year’s selections. Some familiar faces, like Lee Woo-jung — perhaps most famous for writing the hit nostalgia drama “Reply 1988” — has plucked a few awards for her new feature, “Snowball.” Cannes-repeat Jero Yun also returns with his first fictional feature, “Fighter.” Among the newcomers, Jung Wook’s directorial...
Though there are less awards than last year, Korean productions still dominate this year’s selections. Some familiar faces, like Lee Woo-jung — perhaps most famous for writing the hit nostalgia drama “Reply 1988” — has plucked a few awards for her new feature, “Snowball.” Cannes-repeat Jero Yun also returns with his first fictional feature, “Fighter.” Among the newcomers, Jung Wook’s directorial...
- 11/1/2020
- by Grace Han
- AsianMoviePulse
Biff managed to achieve physical admissions of 29,135 despite pandemic social distancing requirements.
The 25th Busan International Film Festival (Biff)’s New Currents Awards went to Harumoto Jujiro’s Japanese film A Balance and Pak Ruslan’s Kazakhstan-Korea-Uzbekistan co-production Three in a closed ceremony last night.
Biff organisers announced the winners and closing results in a Zoom press conference this morning (October 30) in Busan.
The New Currents jury headed by director Mira Nair said of the top winners A Balance and Three: “Both are drawn by deep contemplation on human society, yet each has achieved its own unique cinematic language.
“Even...
The 25th Busan International Film Festival (Biff)’s New Currents Awards went to Harumoto Jujiro’s Japanese film A Balance and Pak Ruslan’s Kazakhstan-Korea-Uzbekistan co-production Three in a closed ceremony last night.
Biff organisers announced the winners and closing results in a Zoom press conference this morning (October 30) in Busan.
The New Currents jury headed by director Mira Nair said of the top winners A Balance and Three: “Both are drawn by deep contemplation on human society, yet each has achieved its own unique cinematic language.
“Even...
- 10/30/2020
- by Jean Noh
- ScreenDaily
The Busan International Film Festival concluded its 25th edition on Friday with the announcement of prizes across its multiple sections. The competitive New Currents section saw the top prize shared between “A Balance” from Japanese director Harumoto Yujiro and “Three,” a Kazakhstan-Korea- Uzbekistan co-venture directed by Pak Ruslan.
The festival operated a hybrid format, with most events shifted online due to the coronavirus outbreak alongside a handful of in-person screenings at the Busan Cinema Center. It reported that over its ten day run (Oct. 21-30) it had attracted 20,100 visitors to its onsite screenings. Its aggregate online visitors numbered just 30,200 for its Biff Forum, Asia Contents Awards, the Asian Film Awards, and the Master Class lecture.
“Although the total number of festival audiences remained approximately 18,000 due to 25% occupancy for each theater, it was a noteworthy number that shows the love and support of the audience for the Busan International Film Festival,...
The festival operated a hybrid format, with most events shifted online due to the coronavirus outbreak alongside a handful of in-person screenings at the Busan Cinema Center. It reported that over its ten day run (Oct. 21-30) it had attracted 20,100 visitors to its onsite screenings. Its aggregate online visitors numbered just 30,200 for its Biff Forum, Asia Contents Awards, the Asian Film Awards, and the Master Class lecture.
“Although the total number of festival audiences remained approximately 18,000 due to 25% occupancy for each theater, it was a noteworthy number that shows the love and support of the audience for the Busan International Film Festival,...
- 10/30/2020
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Navid Mahmoudi’s Afghanistan-Iran production “Seven and a Half” will have its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival’s ‘A Window on Asian Cinema’ strand.
Mahmoud previously wrote and produced “A Few Meters of Love,” which was Aghanistan’s entry to the Oscars in 2014. “Parting,” which he wrote and directed, was the country’s entry in 2016.
Meanwhile, Iranian project “African Violet” from Mona Zandi Haghighi (“Friday Evening”) will also play in Busan’s Asian strand. It arrives in Korea after playing at home at Fajr, and winning a jury special mention at Tripoli.
The connection between the two films – and the regular supply of high quality Iranian and Afghan films to major film festivals – is Paris-based production, distribution, promotion and sales outfit DreamLab Films. Spearheaded by Nasrine Medard de Chardon, the company was set up in 2000 and since then has championed more than 60 features and shorts from the region.
Mahmoud previously wrote and produced “A Few Meters of Love,” which was Aghanistan’s entry to the Oscars in 2014. “Parting,” which he wrote and directed, was the country’s entry in 2016.
Meanwhile, Iranian project “African Violet” from Mona Zandi Haghighi (“Friday Evening”) will also play in Busan’s Asian strand. It arrives in Korea after playing at home at Fajr, and winning a jury special mention at Tripoli.
The connection between the two films – and the regular supply of high quality Iranian and Afghan films to major film festivals – is Paris-based production, distribution, promotion and sales outfit DreamLab Films. Spearheaded by Nasrine Medard de Chardon, the company was set up in 2000 and since then has championed more than 60 features and shorts from the region.
- 10/3/2019
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Afghanistan-born, Tehran-based brothers Jamshid and Navid Mahmoudi continue their examination of life among Afghan refugees in Iran with the touching drama “Rona, Azim’s Mother.” Written and directed by Jamshid and produced by Navid, this tale of a middle-aged son facing a life-and-death decision regarding his gravely ill mother provides an illuminating picture of family tensions and bureaucratic frustrations that arise in a community trapped in a seemingly never-ending state of limbo. Selected as Afghanistan’s submission for the foreign-language Oscar category, “Rona” made its international premiere in Busan — the stop on what promises to be a healthy festival run.
Following their Jamshid-directed, Navid-produced debut “A Few Cubic Meters of Love” (2014) and the Navid-helmed, Jamshid-produced “Parting” (2016), the Mahmoudis (who also write and usually edit their work) have completed a remarkable hat trick of foreign-language Oscar submissions with “Rona.” In keeping with the previous films, the siblings’ mission here is to...
Following their Jamshid-directed, Navid-produced debut “A Few Cubic Meters of Love” (2014) and the Navid-helmed, Jamshid-produced “Parting” (2016), the Mahmoudis (who also write and usually edit their work) have completed a remarkable hat trick of foreign-language Oscar submissions with “Rona.” In keeping with the previous films, the siblings’ mission here is to...
- 10/7/2018
- by Richard Kuipers
- Variety Film + TV
The 21st Busan International Film Festival (Biff) wrapped on Saturday with its New Currents Award going to two Chinese debut features - Wang Xuebo’s The Knife In The Clear Water and Zang Qiwu’s The Donor.
Running Oct 6-15 in the aftermath of a typhoon and dealing with a partial industry boycott and smaller operating budget, the festival saw a subdued atmosphere with total attendance down 27% from last year to 165,149 this year.
Accredited attendees were down 40% to 5,759 this year, including 1,381 market badge holders and excluding press.
Malian director Souleymane Cisse headed the New Currents jury, joined by Indian producer Guneet Monga, International Film Festival Rotterdam festival director Bero Beyer, Korean-Chinese director Zhang Lu and Iranian director Mahmoud Kalari.
They described The Knife In The Clear Water as “a poetic parable on grief and freedom” and praised The Donor for its “serene maturity” as an “excellently scripted film” that “plays as much on the images as on the...
Running Oct 6-15 in the aftermath of a typhoon and dealing with a partial industry boycott and smaller operating budget, the festival saw a subdued atmosphere with total attendance down 27% from last year to 165,149 this year.
Accredited attendees were down 40% to 5,759 this year, including 1,381 market badge holders and excluding press.
Malian director Souleymane Cisse headed the New Currents jury, joined by Indian producer Guneet Monga, International Film Festival Rotterdam festival director Bero Beyer, Korean-Chinese director Zhang Lu and Iranian director Mahmoud Kalari.
They described The Knife In The Clear Water as “a poetic parable on grief and freedom” and praised The Donor for its “serene maturity” as an “excellently scripted film” that “plays as much on the images as on the...
- 10/15/2016
- by hjnoh2007@gmail.com (Jean Noh)
- ScreenDaily
Festival will open with the world premiere of Zhang Lu’s Korean film A Quiet Dream.
Busan International Film Festival (Biff) on Tuesday unveiled its line-up, set to open with the world premiere of Zhang Lu’s Korean film A Quiet Dream.
Running October 6-15, the 21st Biff will screen a total of 301 films from 69 countries with 96 world premieres and 27 international premieres. The festival will close with the international premiere of Iraq-Germany-Qatar co-production The Dark Wind, directed by Hussein Hassan (Narcissus Blossom).
Festival director Kang Soo-youn said of A Quiet Dream: “It’s a film that people who like films and people who make films can’t help but like.”
The latest from Korean-Chinese director Zhang Lu (Dooman River, Grain In Ear), A Quiet Dream stars Han Ye-ri (Haemoo) as a young woman caring for her comatose father while running a bar and being wooed by three men.
Young Korean indie directors Yang Ikjune, Yoon Jong-bin...
Busan International Film Festival (Biff) on Tuesday unveiled its line-up, set to open with the world premiere of Zhang Lu’s Korean film A Quiet Dream.
Running October 6-15, the 21st Biff will screen a total of 301 films from 69 countries with 96 world premieres and 27 international premieres. The festival will close with the international premiere of Iraq-Germany-Qatar co-production The Dark Wind, directed by Hussein Hassan (Narcissus Blossom).
Festival director Kang Soo-youn said of A Quiet Dream: “It’s a film that people who like films and people who make films can’t help but like.”
The latest from Korean-Chinese director Zhang Lu (Dooman River, Grain In Ear), A Quiet Dream stars Han Ye-ri (Haemoo) as a young woman caring for her comatose father while running a bar and being wooed by three men.
Young Korean indie directors Yang Ikjune, Yoon Jong-bin...
- 9/6/2016
- by hjnoh2007@gmail.com (Jean Noh)
- ScreenDaily
Festival will open with the world premiere of Zhang Lu’s Korean film A Quiet Dream.
Busan International Film Festival (Biff) on Tuesday unveiled its line-up, set to open with the world premiere of Zhang Lu’s Korean film A Quiet Dream.
Running Oct 6-15, the 21st Biff will screen a total of 301 films from 69 countries with 96 world premieres and 27 international premieres. The festival will close with the international premiere of Iraq-Germany-Qatar co-production The Dark Wind, directed by Hussein Hassan (Narcissus Blossom).
Festival director Kang Soo-youn said of A Quiet Dream: “It’s a film that people who like films and people who make films can’t help but like.”
The latest from Korean-Chinese director Zhang Lu (Dooman River, Grain In Ear), A Quiet Dream stars Han Ye-ri (Haemoo) as a young woman caring for her comatose father while running a bar and being wooed by three men. Young Korean indie directors Yang Ikjune, Yoon Jong-bin...
Busan International Film Festival (Biff) on Tuesday unveiled its line-up, set to open with the world premiere of Zhang Lu’s Korean film A Quiet Dream.
Running Oct 6-15, the 21st Biff will screen a total of 301 films from 69 countries with 96 world premieres and 27 international premieres. The festival will close with the international premiere of Iraq-Germany-Qatar co-production The Dark Wind, directed by Hussein Hassan (Narcissus Blossom).
Festival director Kang Soo-youn said of A Quiet Dream: “It’s a film that people who like films and people who make films can’t help but like.”
The latest from Korean-Chinese director Zhang Lu (Dooman River, Grain In Ear), A Quiet Dream stars Han Ye-ri (Haemoo) as a young woman caring for her comatose father while running a bar and being wooed by three men. Young Korean indie directors Yang Ikjune, Yoon Jong-bin...
- 9/6/2016
- by hjnoh2007@gmail.com (Jean Noh)
- ScreenDaily
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