The Star of the Asian Film Awards is Hong Kong Actor Tony Leung
243 Films from 71 Countries Screened... Strengthening the On Screen Section
Offline Event Returns After 3 Years with "Ambitious Plans"
The Busan International Film Festival will open on the 5th of next month with "The Scent of the Wind (Iran)" directed by Hadi Mohaghegh. The closing film is "A Man (Japan)" directed by Kei Ishikawa.
On the afternoon of the 7th, the Busan International Film Festival held an online press conference to announce the opening and closing films, the number of invited films for this year's event, and the event plans. There are 243 official invited films from seventy-one countries, twenty more than last year's 223 films from seventy-one countries. By screening category, there are 102 World + International Premieres, 89 World Premieres, and 13 International Premieres. Including 111 films screened in the Community BIFF section, the total number of films screened is 354. From the 5th to the 14th of next month, the films will be shown across thirty screens in seven theaters: Busan Cinema Center, CGV Centum City, Lotte Cinema Centum City, Sohyang Theater, Korean Film Council Standard Screening Room, Lotte Cinema Daeyoung (Community BIFF), and BNK Busan Bank Art Cinema (Community BIFF).
The opening film, "The Scent of the Wind," tells the story of a man with a lower body disability who cares for his son, who is paralyzed from the neck down. In a world where it is doubtful whether human goodwill still exists, it reaffirms faith in people. Executive Committee Chairperson Heo Mun-young said, "Director Mohaghegh is an emerging Asian master who has grown alongside the Busan International Film Festival and its cinematic history," adding, "It is a small and quiet film but will deliver tremendous emotion and resonance." Director Mohaghegh previously won the New Currents Award at the 2015 Busan International Film Festival for "Ayaz's Lament."
The closing film, "A Man," is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Keiichiro Hirano, who won the 2018 Yomiuri Literary Prize. It shows how our reason and emotions react when the identity of someone we know suddenly becomes uncertain. It poses serious questions about the desire to erase one's past and the identity that makes one who they are. The cast includes Satoshi Tsumabuki, Sakura Ando, and Masataka Kubota.
In the New Currents section, ten films are competing, including "Monster (Republic of Korea)" directed by Lee Jeong-hong, "That Winter (India/France/Qatar)" directed by Amir Bashir, "That Woman Shibamma (India)" directed by Jaishankar Ariyar, "No End (Germany/Iran/Turkey)" directed by Nader Saeivar, "Blue Revisited (Thailand)" directed by Tiffany Luswan, and "Long Live Hell (Republic of Korea)" directed by Lim Oh-jung. In the "Korean Cinema Today - Vision" section, which discovers independent films and new directors, twelve films are being evaluated by film professionals, including "Birth" directed by Yoo Ji-young, "Peacock" directed by Byun Sung-bin, "Journey" directed by Lee Haram, "When the Long and Boring Movie Is Ending" directed by Yoon Ji-hye, "You and Me" directed by Jo Hyun-chul, and "Water Scales" directed by Lim Seung-hyun.
A notable feature of this year's festival is the strengthening of the On Screen section, which was newly established last year. Nine online video service (OTT) drama series that attract attention will be showcased. These include "Yonder" directed by Lee Joon-ik, "Glitch" directed by Noh Deok, "Body Price" directed by Jeon Woo-sung, "Somebody" directed by Jung Ji-woo, "Weak Hero Class 1" directed by Yoo Soo-min, "Today Might Be a Bit Spicy" directed by Lee Ho-jae, "Connect" directed by Takashi Miike, "The Kingdom Exodus" directed by Lars von Trier, and "Curse of Blood" directed by Kimo Stamboel.
For the Gala Presentation screenings, "Nobody's Hero (France)" directed by Alain Guiraudie and "Scarlet (France/Italy/Germany)" directed by Pietro Marcello have been selected. The former asks whether it is possible to laugh in a bleak era filled with terrorism. It was the opening film of the Panorama section at this year's Berlin International Film Festival. The latter is a lyrical portrayal of a father's love for his daughter. Director Marcello plans to visit Busan in person with the actors.
This year's Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award goes to Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai. He is a leading figure who led the golden age of Hong Kong cinema, starring in notable works such as "As Tears Go By (1989)," "Chungking Express (1994)," "Happy Together (1997)," "In the Mood for Love (2000)," and "Infernal Affairs (2002)." To commemorate the award, the Busan International Film Festival has prepared a "Tony Leung's In the Mood for Love" program, screening representative works including "In the Mood for Love," "2046," "Lust, Caution," "Infernal Affairs," "Comrades: Almost a Love Story," and "Happy Together." Additionally, the festival will present "New Perspectives on 21st Century Documentary," featuring fresh and unique documentaries, and will digitally restore and premiere the 1952 film "Nakdong River," produced during the Korean War.
All events will be held offline for the first time in three years. While complying with current quarantine guidelines, seating will be operated at 100% capacity without social distancing. Chairman Lee Yong-kwan said, "We have made great efforts to hold an offline film festival," adding, "We see this as a period to relaunch as a world-class film festival over the next ten years, coinciding with the bid for the 2030 Busan Expo, and we will prepare a careful and ambitious plan."
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