Asian Cinema Fund (ACF) resumes its programs and accepts submissions until April 20
BIFF and CHANEL partners to launch CHANEL X BIFF Asian Film Academy
The 27th Busan International Film Festival Accepts Submissions
2022 Asian Cinema Fund (ACF) resumes its programs after 2 years!
The 26th BIFF Official Selections Invited to Berlin International Film Festival
DistroTV Makes History as the First FAST to Debut an Original Feature Film with the Global Premiere of Its New Hispanic Film, "Escandalo Secreto&
"The Curse of Stonehill," a suspense thriller short, starring Madison Ekstrand and Michael Pare´ debuts at the Indie Shorts Fest
Jim James, Partners With Gibson For His First Guitar; Watch The Animated Short Film Out Today
Line-up for “New Waves, New Shores: Busan International Film Festival" Announced
Introducing a Film Studies Degree Program Dedicated to Fostering New Film Professionals in Asia
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The 16th Edition of the Peachtree Village International Film Festival (PVIFF) To Roll Out Virtually On 21 October 2021
The 16th Edition of the Peachtree Village International Film Festival (PVIFF) is all set to roll out virtually from 21 October through 23 October 2021. “We are delighted to inform that we will be hosting the 16th edition of the Peachtree Village International Film Festival from 21 October to 23 October 2021,” says the spokesperson for PVIFF. “Due to the COVID-19 situation, we will be hosting the event virtually. We also have a Table Read on Bringing Screenplays to Life on 22 October, Friday from 4.00 to 4.30 EST with distinguished actors. Viewers can join the event via zoom on the PVIFF site.” The three event-filled days of the PVIFF will see some genuinely world-class content on display for thousands of attendees from all over the world. The event will attract millions of viewers throughout the three days. The PVIFF has a reputation for showcasing the best talents and also acts as the official Oscar qualifier. The event draws over a hundred entertainment power brokers representing various companies. PVIFF gets over 500 high-quality submissions every year, and those numbers are expected to scale up significantly this year. The PVIFF platform is adorned by the world’s leading personalities and speakers, which is another major highlight of the festival. In the past, the event has hosted famous personalities such as the award-winning actor and director Bill Duke, Oscar winner Lou Gossett, Jr., acting coach Jonna Johnson, actor, comedian, writer, and game show host Anthony Anderson, famous actors such as Isaiah John, Omari Hardwick, Barbara Niven, Chadwick Boseman, Blair Underwood, and many others. The film festival will host several exciting and important events. These include the State of the Industry, where producers, directors, and industry leaders share their views on what needs to be done to sustain a diverse and sustainable film culture. ‘Cast Me If You Can’ is an event hosted by Gilbert Glenn-Brown. Top names such as Winsome Sinclair, Tressa Smallwood, Jessica Parker Kennedy, and Lamar Cheston will let viewers into the secrets of a successful acting career. Pitch Tent is another important event that viewers can watch live. It is a platform for pitching movies, TV, and film ideas to the top industry professionals and investors. The event provides makers with the chance to make their ideas a reality. The Opening Night Premieres ‘The Millennial’ starring Obba Babatunde, Terri Vaughn, Terayle Hill, Khalil Kain, and Erica Mena Samuels. The screening will be followed by a Q & A session with the cast. According to a recent announcement by PVIFF, Shanpepe Films’ ‘No Biscuits in Heaven’ has been added to the screenplay competition. Produced in Benue State, Nigeria, ‘No Biscuits in Heaven’ is a Nigerian film by this leading music production company. It is written by multiple award-winning author and anthropologist Ruth Finnegan.
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The 26th Busan International Film Festival Announcing the ‘Busan Vision Awards’ Winners
The 26th Busan International Film Festival hosted the ‘Busan Vision Awards’ ceremony at Grand Josun Busan on October 14 (Thurs), 20:00 (KST). NETPAC Award Recipient: The Apartment with Two Women Director: KIM Se-in FIPRESCI Award Recipient: Seire Director: PARK Kang Busan Cinephile Award Recipient: I′m So Sorry Director: ZHAO Liang CGK Award Recipient: Chorokbam Cinematographer: CHOO Kyeong-yeob DGK MEGABOX Award Recipient: Through My Midwinter Director: OH Seongho Recipient: A Lonely Island in the Distant Sea Director: KIM Miyoung Critic b Award Recipient: Hot in Day, Cold at Night Director: PARK Songyeol CGV Arthouse Award Recipient: Chorokbam Director: YOON Seo-jin KBS Independent Film Award Recipient: Hot in Day, Cold at Night Director: PARK Songyeol Watcha Award Recipient: Through My Midwinter Director: OH Seongho Recipient: The Apartment with Two Women Director: KIM Se-in Citizen Critics' Award Recipient: Chorokbam Director: YOON Seo-jin
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Announcing the Winners of the Asian Project Market 2021 Awards
The Asian Project Market (APM) 2021, which was held for three days from October 12 (Tues) to October 14 (Thurs), has announced the winners of this year’s awards. APM, Asia’s largest co-production market, previously announced the 25 final projects from 15 different countries in August. This year, the market hosted online meetings for international participants and simultaneously held on-site meetings for domestic attendees. A total of 100 participants from 91 companies and organizations participated in the 515 official business meetings conducted during the APM, reaffirming the high level of interest in the selected projects. The propagation of participation from Korea, Taiwan, France, Hong Kong, and Japan, of female directors and producers’ projects, and of Northeast and Southeast Asian projects caught much attention. The awardees for the 7 sections of the Asian Project Market 2021 Awards were announced through the APM website, on the last day of the APM, October 14. Jéro Yun’s Secret of My Father, which will be the last addition to the director’s film series trilogy about family; Kamila Andini’s Before, Now & Then, a film based on a true story and depicted through a delicate storytelling; Lim Sun-ae’s Fixed Love, Fixed Girl, a film that is expected to show a different perspective to a story about disabilities; Lives of Crime, a collaborative project by up and coming female filmmakers in Taiwan; If wood could cry, it would cry blood, which is an adaptation film of the autobiographical novel Tam Van Phong Dao by the famous Vietnamese comedian, Mac Can; Abinash Bikram Shah’s Elephants in the Fog, presenting a strong story of trans women, who are ostracized by the society; Spectrum by director Kim Bora, who gathered much interest after being invited to various prestigious international film festivals for her film, House of Hummingbird (2018).
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The 26th Busan International Film Festival Asian Contents & Film Market 2021 Open
With more than 1,389 participants from 52 countries, an astounding 57% increase of participants from last year, Asian Contents & Film Market 2021 (ACFM 2021) has opened on October 11 (Mon). ACFM 2021 will be held as a hybrid form of online and on-site events, with 200 institutions and sales companies registered for online booths. In addition to the number of attendees, the number of in-advance applications for business meetings also doubled compared to last year, reaching a total of approximately 1,200 cases. The official online platform for the ACFM, ‘ACFM 2021 Online’ (https://online.acfm.kr/eng/), offers various services including online meetings, exhibition, screening, and other events. This year’s market will feature 318 Market Screening films through the online screening service, as well as the 112 official selections of BIFF 2021. Business meetings for the Asian Project Market(APM) begins on October 12 (Tue), the second day of the ACFM, and business meetings for E-IP Market opens on October 11(Mon) for 4 days. Domestic participants and projects will participate on-site, while international business meetings will be held online. These events are expected to foster vital business meetings between projects and the local and international film/media industry professionals who are set to participate. The ‘ACFM 2021 Online’ platform also grants access to the ACFM Conference. This year’s conference is expected to invite leading professionals in each field in order to engage in in-depth discussions about various topics pertaining to the overall industry. In 'Meet the Market Directors’, a panel discussion will be held by Oh Seok Geun, co-director of Asian Contents & Film Market, Jérôme Paillard, executive director of Marché du Film, Dennis Ruh, director of European Film Market, and Jacob Wong, director of HKIFF Industry, with moderator Liz Shackleton, Asia Editor from Screen International. Furthermore, Luke Kang, the president of The Walt Disney Company, APAC, will be giving a keynote speech in respect to ‘The Future of Entertainment Content Business in the Rapidly Changing Media Environment.’ In ‘Conversation with Park Chan-wook - Audiovisual Storytelling in the Era of Diverse Media and Platforms’, director Park Chan-wook will share his omniscient and penetrative insights on the era of platform translation with the audience, alongside director Lee Moo-young, who will be the moderator for the session. For ACFM Badge holders, the ACFM Conference will be available on ACFM Online (https://online.acfm.kr/eng/) from October 11 (Mon) at 10:00 (KST). For the public, all sessions will be available on the Busan International Film Festival’s official YouTube channel, with the exception of a few select sessions.
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The 15th Asian Film Awards Announce Winners in 18 Categories
The 15th Asian Film Awards, which was hosted tonight by the Asian Film Awards Academy in conjunction with the 26th Busan International Film Festival and the Asian Contents & Film Market, announced its winners in 18 categories. At the 15th Asian Film Awards Ceremony, which was held at the Paradise Hotel Busan on the evening of October 8 (Fri) during the 26th Busan International Film Festival, 80 nominees graced the event with their presence both online and on-site. The ceremony was hosted by actress Kim Gyuri and YouTuber Genius Seungkug Lee, while Korean stars Lee Byung-hun, Yoo Ah-in, JUN Jong-seo, Park Jeong-min, Jang Yoon-ju, Kim Hyun-bin and Gong Seung-yeon dazzled the audience on the red carpet, joined by world-renowned directors Lee Chang-dong and Hamaguchi Ryusuke. The biggest winner of the night was Kurosawa Kiyoshi’s Wife of a Spy (Japan), which received the Best Film Award, the Best Actress Award (Aoi Yu) and the Best Costume Design Award (Koketsu Haruki). The Best Director Award went to Zhang Yimou, who directed One Second (Mainland China). Meanwhile, the rising star actress Liu Haocun was awarded with the Best Newcomer Award for her role in One Second. Korean actors had a strong presence, winning in various categories. Yoo Ah-in, who has engrossed the audience with gestures and facial expressions without dialogue in Voice of Silence (Korea), won the Best Actor Award, while Kim Hyun-bin won the Best Supporting Actor Award for his role as a deaf schoolboy in The Silent Forest (Taiwan). Director Hong Eui-jeong added the Best New Director Award from the Asian Film Awards to the list of awards she received with her debut feature film Voice of Silence (Korea), which received the Best Director Award at the Blue Dragon Awards 2021 and the Best Film Award at the Fantasia International Film Festival 2021. Teen actress Makita Aju won the Best Supporting Actress Award with her compelling performance in True Mothers (Japan). Chaitanya Tamhane won the Best Screenplay Award for The Disciple (India) and Masoud Amini Tirani won the Best Cinematography Award with The Wasteland (Iran). Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train (Japan) was announced as the Highest-Grossing Asian Film of 2020. The AFA15 Ceremony, which was held in a hybrid form that combines online and on-site events in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic, presented a new paradigm of awards ceremony by gathering thousands of viewers on YouTube and Naver.
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Asian Contents & Film Market 2021 Announces the Recipients of the 3rd Asia Contents Awards
On October 7 (Thurs), the 3rd Asia Contents Awards (ACA) announced that MOVE TO HEAVEN is the recipient of the Best Creative Award. The Asia Contents Awards is a ceremony that recognizes excellence in TV, OTT (online video streaming platform), and online contents. The 3rd Asia Contents Awards Ceremony was held in a hybrid form that combines online and on-site elements. Domestic Korean participants including the hosts took part in the ceremony at the Busan location, nominees all over Asia joined the ceremony online, and both domestic and international audience watched the ceremony through the ACA’s official YouTube channel and Naver. The drama MOVE TO HEAVEN, which aired on Netflix, was crowned three times; the series won the Best Creative Award, the Best Actor Award (Lee Je-hoon), and the Best Writer Award (Yoon Ji-ryun). Sweet Home, a Netflix sensation, also won three different awards: the Newcomer-Actress Award (Ko Min-si), the ACA Excellence Award (Song Kang), and the Technical Achievement Award. Girl from Nowhere S2, a Netflix series produced in Thailand, received the Best Asian TV Series Award, while The Long Night, which was released on iQIYI, received the Best OTT Original Award. This year’s Best Actress Award went to Song Jia in A Love for Dilemma, while both Ko Min-si in Sweet Home and Koe Yeet in Tituodao received the Newcomer-Actress Award. The Newcomer-Actor Award went to Morisaki Win, who made an appearance in the Japanese drama The Real Thing. Morisaki celebrated his victory with a debut of his new song “Me Myself and I” at the ceremony that day. On top of this, Aalia, who sang “Adrenaline,” the original soundtrack of the tvN drama Vincenzo (2021), put on a celebratory performance, making the evening even more memorable.
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Lineup for the Asian Contents & Film Market 2021 Online Conference Announced
The Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) 2021 has announced its lineup for the online conference. This year’s ACFM Conference will be holding all events, including the Asia Contents Awards 2021 and the 15th Asian Film Awards, online. This conference plans to invite professionals leading each sector of the K-Contents industry and engage in in-depth discussions on various subjects across the industry. In particular, the conference is raising anticipation by providing an opportunity for creators all over the world to share the strategies for responding to the rapidly changing market after COVID-19 as well as the K-Contents industry’s vision. The ACFM Conference will be available to ACFM Badge holders through ACFM 2021 Online (online.acfm.kr) beginning at 10:00 (KST) on October 11 (Mon). Starting on October 13 (Wed), anyone can view the ACFM Conference on the Busan International Film Festival’s official YouTube channel. Some sessions, however, will not be uploaded on the YouTube channel. Asia Contents Awards 2021 and the 15th Asian Film Awards, which recognize excellence in Asian contents, films and filmmakers, will be broadcast live through the Asia Contents Awards’ official YouTube channel and through Naver on October 7 (Thurs) and 8 (Fri), respectively. These award ceremonies will be available for replay starting October 11 (Mon) through ACFM 2021 Online.
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The 26th Busan International Film Festival to Host the "Cinema Forest Event"
The 26th Busan International Film Festival will host the “Cinema Forest Event” along with the Busan Metropolitan City at the APEC Naru Park in Haeundae-gu, Busan, starting at 16:00 (KST) on October 6 (Wed), which is the festival’s opening day. The Cinema Forest Event was conceived with the objective of setting up a place for commemorating the Busan International Film Festival at a location adjacent to the Busan Cinema Center, which is much adored by Busan citizens and BIFF audience alike. At the same time, this event encourages the citizens to participate in the formation of Green City Busan, with filmmakers leading by example through planting trees in response to the climate crisis. Director Im Kwon-taek, the recipient of The Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award at the 26th BIFF, and Ahn Sung-ki, the beloved Korean actor, will participate in the event, along with Chairman Lee Yong-kwan and Deputy Director Kim Bok-keun of the Busan International Film Festival. Other talents visiting this event include: Jang Hyun-sung, who was the lead in Last Film (2021), a title selected for the Korean Cinema Today-Panorama section; Ye Ji-won, who starred in Vanishing (2021), a film invited to the World Cinema section, and in Introduction (2020), director Hong Sangsoo’s new feature that has been invited to the Icons section; and Ryu Hyun-kyung, who starred in the film Fairy (2021), another Korean Cinema Today-Panorama selection. In continuation of last year and this year, the commemorative tree planting event will be held annually at the APEC Naru Park and around the Busan Cinema Center area to form the Cinema Forest. Through this yearly event, the Busan International Film Festival plans to create a pleasant urban park, which the citizens and audience can enjoy even outside of the festival period, that goes beyond a commemorative location for filmmakers.
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The 15th Asian Film Awards Academy Announces the Highest-Grossing Asian Film of 2020
Today, the Asian Film Awards Academy (AFA Academy) announced that Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train will receive the AFA Academy’s Highest-Grossing Asian Film of 2020 Award. Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train is a cinematically praised, emotionally charged, and action-packed Japanese animated film which is based on the manga “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba” by GOTOGE Koyoharu (JUMP COMICS/SHUEISHA). Director SOTOZAKI Haruo, Character designer / Chief animation director MATSUSHIMA Akira and the studio ufotable filled the same roles for the production of the feature film as they had on the television series. Starting with its Japanese premiere in October 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the film opened in theaters of over 70 countries and regions including but not limited to Asia, Europe, Latin and North America. It earned over USD 479 million at the box office worldwide as of May 24, 2021, making it the highest-grossing film of 2020. This is the first time a non-Hollywood production topped the annual box office. The film also set a number of box office records, including the highest-grossing anime and Japanese film of all time, breaking the previous record held by Spirited Away. Inaugurated in 2007, the Asian Film Awards celebrates excellence in Asian cinema through the annual presentation of awards to talents and films that make up the dynamic film industries of Asia. It originated in Hong Kong, but is held in different Asian locations such as Busan and Macao, to reflect its reach across the region. The Asian Film Awards, which celebrates its 15th edition this year, will commence on October 8 (Fri) at 8:00 PM (KST) at the Paradise Hotel Busan. The event will also be broadcast live on YouTube and Naver.
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The 26th Busan International Film Festival Announces the Open Talk “Filmmaking and Drama Making”
The 26th Busan International Film Festival has prepared an Open Talk with the most sought-after directors of this generation: CHANG Hang Jun, KIM Seonghun, and HAN Junhee. The Filmmaking and Drama Making Open Talk, which will be held on Oct 13 (Wed) at 17:30 (KST), invites three directors, Chang Hang Jun, Kim Seonghun, and Han Junhee, to share their experiences in the evolving production environment and the creative process for their films with the audience. Chang Hang Jun directed the film Forgotten (2017) and the drama Sign (2011), and has recently been attracting much popularity by appearing in various TV shows such as Crime Trivia (2021) and seasons 1 and 2 of The Story of the Day When the Tail Was Bitten, also known as Kkokkomu. Director Kim Seonghun has received recognition for his outstanding directing in the films A Hard Day (2014) and Tunnel (2016), and was the front runner of the popularity of K-Contents with the success of his Netflix Original Series, which gave rise to a worldwide K-Zombie drama trend. Director Han Junhee, who caught the Cannes Film Festival’s attention with his debut film, Chinatown (2015), has recently made a name for himself as a drama series director, with the release of his six-episode Netflix Original Series, D.P. (2021), which follows the story of an army unit whose assignment is to capture army deserters. The Filmmaking and Drama Making Open Talk is raising the expectations of many, and is intended to respond to the audience’s curiosity through discussions on subjects such as the creative drive, storytelling in the production process, audiovisual expression, and much more. The Filmmaking and Drama Making Open Talk will be held at the BIFFXGENESIS Outdoor Stage. Admission is free and on a first come, first served basis. Ticket reservation is not required, as long as COVID-19 guidelines are upheld and precautions such as mobile check-in and thermal screening are taken. This event will also be broadcast live on BIFF’s official YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/Busanfilmfest). ### ■ CHANG Hang Jun | Korea | Director Chang Hang Jun made his directorial debut in 2002 with the film Break Out. Following his debut, he participated in various projects. Chang directed and wrote the screenplay of Forgotten (2017) and Spring Breeze (2003), wrote the screenplay of The Great Chef (1999) and The Adventure of Mrs. Park (1996), and directed the dramas Sign (2011), Golden House (2010), and the “Muhan Company” segment of MBC’s Infinite Challenge. Recently, he has been actively making appearances in various TV shows such as Crime Trivia (2021) and seasons 1 and 2 of The Story of the Day When the Tail Was Bitten, also known as Kkokkomu. ■ KIM Seonghun | Korea | Director After achieving both success and fame with his second feature, A Hard Day (2014), director Kim Seonghun’s directorial skills were acknowledged once again in the film Tunnel (2016). The Netflix Original Series Kingdom, which comprises Kingdom (2019), Kingdom Season 2 (2020), and Kingdom: Ashin of the North (2021), was co-created by Kim Seonghun and Kim Eun-hee, who wrote the script of Signal (2016). The Kingdom series has mesmerized the global audience, creating a K-Zombie drama syndrome. ■ HAN Junhee | Korea | Director Director Han Junhee made a successful drama debut with his Netflix Original Series, D.P. (2021). He was invited to Critics’ Week at the Cannes Film Festival for his debut film, Chinatown (2015), and received the Baeksang Arts Award for Best New Director - Film.
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The 26th BIFF Selects Director IM Kwon-taek as "The Asian Filmmaker of the Year"
The 26th Busan International Film Festival has selected Director IM Kwon-taek as "The Asian Filmmaker of the Year." The 26th Busan International Film Festival has selected the living legend of the Korean film industry, director Im Kwon-taek, as the recipient of The Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award. The Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award is presented to an Asian filmmaker or organization that has made the most significant contribution to the advancement of Asian film industry and culture throughout the year. From his debut film, Farewell Duman River, in 1962 to his 102nd film, Revivre, in 2014, director Im Kwon-taek remained an iconic Korean director, who has contributed to the promotion of Asian movies around the world by continuously making films for the past 60 years. He has received the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit in 2002, the Award for Best Director at Cannes Film Festival 2002, and an Honorary Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival 2005, and has thereby left his mark in world cinema history. Thus, Im has been selected as the recipient of this award in recognition of his contributions. To honor of director Im Kwon-taek's achievements, the Busan International Film Festival and Dongseo University will extend the hours of the Im Kwon-taek Film Museum during the festival, starting Oct 6 (Wed) to Oct 15 (Fri) from 12:00 to 19:00 (KST). The Im Kwon-taek Film Museum, which is operated by Dongseo University, is a culture and art space that enables visitors to have an intimate experience of the director’s cinematic universe. The museum is holding its regular exhibition composed of donations by director Im Kwon-taek, along with a special exhibition that showcases Im’s achievements and contributions to the history of the Busan film industry. ■ IM Kwon-taek | Korea | Director Born in 1934, director Im Kwon-taek debuted in 1962 with his film Farewell Duman River, and went on to direct 102 films. He distinguished himself in the global film industry after receiving the Award for Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival 2002 with the film ChiHwaSeon and an Honorary Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival 2005. Through his films such as Seopyeonje (1993) and Chunhyang (2000), he was able to accurately portray Korean way of life and values on the big screen.
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The 26th BIFF Screening 22 Short Films Online On Naver SERIES ON & YouTube Movies
The 26th Busan International Film Festival, which will be held from October 6 (Wed) to 15 (Fri), is offering online screenings of 22 short films that have officially been invited to the Wide Angle Competition Section. The Busan International Film Festival is collaborating with Naver and YouTube. This is a new attempt that is in keeping with the transformed moviegoing experience due to COVID-19. Furthermore, this collaboration will expand the previously limited opportunity for viewing short films, such that more members of the audience can enjoy the film festival online and on-site at the same time. In particular, among the 22 films for online screening that have officially been invited to the BIFF’s Wide Angle Competition Section, all are world premieres with the exception of one ("Windows" (2021)), which is an international premiere. 12 works from the Wide Angle - Korean Short Film Competition Section and 10 works from the Wide Angle - Asian Short Film Competition Section will be screened on a pay-per-view basis through Naver SERIES ON and YouTube Movies.
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Renowned Korean actor LEE Byung-hun to receive The Excellence in Asian Cinema Award at the AFA15
Today, the Asian Film Awards Academy (AFAA) announced that the recipient of this year’s Excellence in Asian Cinema Award is the renowned Korean actor LEE Byung-hun (이병헌, 李炳憲). The Asian Film Awards is an awards ceremony hosted by the Asian Film Awards Academy (AFAA), which was jointly established by the Hong Kong International Film Festival, the Busan International Film Festival, and the Tokyo International Film Festival. The Excellence in Asian Cinema Award aims to highlight distinguished talents and recognize their achievements in and contributions to the Asian film industry and culture. With a stellar career spanning three decades, LEE Byung-hun has demonstrated his versatile talent in movies of all genres produced in many countries. LEE is known for his special ability to interpret and transform a role into a powerful performance that delivers insight into his character’s psyche. LEE brings every line of dialogue to life, stunning his audiences with unforgettable experiences. His astonishing acting ability has earned him many awards. With his film Inside Men (2015), he swept the Best Actor Awards at ten different awards presentations, including the prestigious Korean Grand Bell and Blue Dragon Awards, in 2016. LEE Byung-hun’s influence goes beyond Korea and Asia; he makes an impact through his global influence. He was invited to the Academy Awards with his film Inside Men (2015) as the presenter for the Best Foreign Film, becoming the first Asian actor to be a presenter at the Oscars. LEE’s presence in Hollywood blockbusters including G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) and The Magnificent Seven (2016) has been an inspiration to many Korean talents inside and outside of Hollywood. In addition to the long list of awards he has received, LEE has been crowned twice with Best Actor at the Asian Film Awards for his impressive performances in Inside Men (2015) and The Man Standing Next (2020). With his most recent film, Emergency Declaration, LEE was invited to the Cannes Film Festival, taking the stage at the closing ceremony. LEE continues to build his illustrious career, recently venturing into producing a Netflix film titled I Believe in a Thing Called Love, in which he will also star. “The Busan International Film Festival is proud to present LEE Byung-hun with the Excellence in Asian Cinema Award,” said LEE Yong-kwan, Chairman of the 26th Busan International Film Festival, adding that “LEE’s contribution to Asian and world cinema is widely recognized by the audience and the film industry. His fearless attitude towards morphing into a completely different character in every film truly reflects LEE’s professional dedication. Throughout his distinguished career, LEE has honed his acting skills and worked to raise the standard of film art. His finesse and passion show that he is a great fit for the title of Excellence in Asian Cinema.” The 15th Asian Film Awards is once again held alongside the Busan International Film Festival. On October 8 (Fri), which is during the 26th Busan Film Festival period, the awards ceremony will commence at the Paradise Hotel Busan at 20:00 PM (KST). The ceremony will be broadcast live on Naver and YouTube as well.
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Actor LEE Jun Hyuk and Actress LEE Joo Young to Host the Closing Ceremony
The 26th Busan International Film Festival has selected Actor LEE Jun Hyuk and Actress LEE Joo Young to host the Closing Ceremony, which will be held on October 15 (Fri) at 19:00 (KST). Actor Lee Jun Hyuk, who has reached a wide audience with his outstanding performances in the films Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds (2017) and Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days (2017), is constantly expanding his filmography by working in various projects. Lee, who has continually broadened the range of his versatile acting by portraying diverse characters, has acted in drama series, such as Stranger (2017) and Stranger 2 (2020), and the films No Mercy (2018) and Baseball Girl (2019). His recent title, FIREFIGHTERS (2020), which is a humanist film based on the true story of the 2001 Hongje-dong fire incident, is about to premiere, raising expectations of the audience. Actress Lee Joo Young started her career in the short film Encounter (2012), and displayed her wide spectrum of talent by acting in various titles, such as Beauty of Journey (2013), The Transfer Student (2015) and A Quiet Dream (2016). Lee left a captivating impression with her performances in many films and TV series, such as Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo (2016), Jane (2016), Maggie (2018), Baseball Girl (2019), and Itaewon Class (2020), which presented her unique style of character build-up and original approach to acting. Lee won 4 awards at the Busan International Film Festival 2018, including the KBS Independent Film Award, the CGV Arthouse Award, the Citizen Critics’ Award, and the Actress of the Year, for her role in the film Maggie (2018), which was invited to the Korean Cinema Today-Vision section of BIFF. ■ Actor LEE Joon Hyuk’s Filmography - Films: Fortune Salon (2009), I Saw The Devil (2010), The Peach Tree (2012), Two Rooms, Two Nights (2016), Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds (2017), Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days (2017), No Mercy (2018), Baseball Girl (2019), FIREFIGHTERS (2020) - Drama Series: The City Hall (2009), Three Brothers (2009), I Am Legend (2010), Secret Garden (2010), City Hunter (2011), Man From the Equator (2012), Half of a Fairy Tale (2012), My Blooming Days (2014), House of Bluebird (2015), The Birth of a Married Woman (2016), Naked Fireman (2017), Stranger (2017), Summer Days (2017), Are You Human? (2018), A Poem A Day (2018), Life (2018), Designated Survivor: 60 Days (2019), The Lies Within (2019), Stranger 2 (2020), 365: Repeat the Year (2020), Dark Hole (2021) ■ Actress LEE Joo Young’s Filmography - Films: Encounter (2012), Beauty of Journey (2013), Living Things (2013), The Transfer Student (2015), A Quiet Dream (2016), The Eternal Theme of Humanity (2016), Channel CGV Movie House (2016), Jane (2016), Alone Together (2017), An Algorithm (2017), Jamsil (2018), THE NEGOTIATION (2018), Maggie (2018), Baseball Girl (2019), Broker (Working Title, 2020) - Drama Series: Horror Delivery Service (2016), Women at a Game Company (2016), Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo (2016), School of Hip Hop (2017), Something in the Rain (2018), The Ghost Detective (2018), Drama Special: House of the Universe (2019), Itaewon Class (2020), Times (2021)
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The 26th Busan International Film Festival Launching "Actor's House," a New Special Talk Program
The 26th Busan International Film Festival newly added a Special Talk program, Actor's House, where the audience meets 6 actors representing the contemporary generation. Actor's House is a special program in which actors, who represent the Korean film industry, are invited to share intimate stories of their acting careers with the audience. For this year, which is the first edition of the program, a total of 6 actresses and actors - Uhm Junghwa, Han Yeri, Jun Jong Seo, Cho Jinwoong, Lee Je-hoon, and Byun Yohan - are attending. The Q&A sessions (Guest Visits) in previous editions provided an occasion to share stories about the overall film. This program, however, is special in terms of arranging in-depth conversations with the actors, who will be sharing stories that have never been heard before, including their acting philosophy and their most memorable scenes. First, veteran actress Uhm Junghwa and actor Cho Jinwoong, who have established their filmography across the silver screen and television, take the stage. The two, who were also appointed to the jury of the Actor & Actress of the Year at this year’s BIFF, have a large fan base as a result of their broad acting spectrum that covers many genres. The two will make use of this new Special Talk program to reflect on their prolific acting careers. Han Yeri and Jun Jong-seo, international film festival favorites of the year, are also visiting Actor's House. Actress Han Yeri has garnered much acclaim from news outlets and critics all over the world for her portrayal of "Monica," a caring mother leading her family’s way in a foreign country, in the film Minari (2020). Jun Jong-seo began her career with director Lee Chang-dong’s film Burning (2018). She presented her unique acting style in Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon (2021), a film which was officially invited to the Competition Section of the Venice International Film Festival 2021. Jun will spend time interacting with the audience at the Actor's House, following her Open Talk. Furthermore, guaranteed powerhouse actors Lee Je-hoon and Byun Yohan are also participating. Actor Lee Je-hoon visits Busan as the director of a short film in the omnibus film Unframed (2021), which was officially invited to the Korean Cinema Today - Panorama section. Lee will join Actor’s House and share moments of his outstanding career with the audience. Byun Yohan, a charming star who is showing that he can morph into any character in films such as The Book of Fish (2021), On the Line (2021) and more, intends to relate the story of his career trajectory to the audience with an honest attitude. Una Beck, the head of Una Labo Actorology, has been appointed as the moderator of Actor's House. She plans to draw out intimate stories from the actors. All are welcome to join the audience, and the ticket price is KRW 8,000. The proceeds of the event will go to Save the Children, an international humanitarian aid organization for children. The details about ticket reservations will be released on the Busan International Film Festival's official website (www.biff.kr).
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Asian Contents & Film Market 2021 Nominees for the 3rd Asia Contents Awards Unveiled
The Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM), which will open on October 7 (Thurs), has announced the nominees for the 3rd Asia Contents Awards (ACA). Asia Contents Awards (ACA), which grants awards to outstanding TV, OTT (Over-the-top streaming platform), and online contents from Asia, was established in 2019 and is welcoming its 3rd year. Despite the COVID-19 situation, the ACA2021 has achieved almost double the number of submissions as compared to last year, receiving a total of 163 contents from 16 countries across Asia, and has finalized 30 nominees for 11 sections after undertaking multiple steps of careful evaluation. Furthermore, award-winning titles in three categories, ACA Jury’s Special Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, and ACA Excellence Award, will be announced directly at the ceremony without presenting the nominees beforehand. This year’s Asia Contents Awards drew attention because of its large number of Korean nominations, which received widespread acclaim from both domestic and international viewers, that includes NAVILLERA, MOVE TO HEAVEN, Stranger 2, VINCENZO, and Sweet Home. Bae Doo-na from Stranger 2 and Lee Si-young of Sweet Home have been nominated for the Best Actress award, while Lee Je-hoon from MOVE TO HEAVEN and Song Joong Ki from VINCENZO are nominees for the Best Actor award. Outstanding overseas candidates include original contents from iQIYI and Netflix, such as Alice in Borderland, which captivated Netflix viewers, not only in Japan, but around the world, The Long Night, which was the most-talked-about OTT series in China in 2020, Girl from Nowhere S2 from Thailand, and Ray from India. Moreover, various works from all over Asia, including Sheker (Kazakhstan), Antara Pintu (Malaysia), and Life of namjoo (Korea), are nominees in the Best Short-form / Web drama section, which is a newly established award category this year. Japan Sinks 2020 and Heaven’s Design Team from Japan, and The Curious World of Linda and Time Traveler Luke from Korea have been nominated for the Best Asian Animation award section, proving the two countries to be the powerhouse of the animation industry. Similar to last year, ACA will operate as a hybrid online and on-site event. Domestic attendees, including the hosts, will be participating on-site from Busan, while overseas nominees across Asia will be attending the awards online. The event will be hosted by the TV personality and enterpriser Mark Tetto, who has been active in various fields, such as JTBC's Abnormal Summit, and Kim Sae-yeon, a participant of Miss Korea 2019, who has hosted ACA since its first edition. The 3rd Asia Contents Awards can be viewed on October 7 (Thurs) via Naver and the Busan International Film Festival’s official YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/Busanfilmfest).
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Directors BONG Joon Ho X HAMAGUCHI Ryusuke’s Special Talk & Director Leos CARAX’s Master Class
The 26th Busan International Film Festival is officially announcing the agenda for the Special Talk with directors BONG Joon Ho and HAMAGUCHI Ryusuke, and the Master Class with prodigy director Leos CARAX. World-renowned genius directors, BONG Joon Ho, HAMAGUCHI Ryusuke, and Leos CARAX will be making their way to the 26th Busan International Film Festival, which will be held for ten days from Oct 6 (Wed) to Oct 15 (Fri). BIFF is hosting a special program that will showcase HAMAGUCHI’s two celebrated films and a Special Talk with HAMAGUCHI Ryusuke and BONG Joon Ho, as well as a Master Class with French master director, Leos CARAX, who will visit Busan with his latest film, Annette, for the first time in 9 years since his last attendance with Holy Motors (2012). HAMAGUCHI Ryusuke’s Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (2021) and Drive My Car (2021), along with Leos CARAX’s Annette (2021), have all been selected to premiere at the Gala Presentation section at this year’s BIFF. The Japanese director, Hamaguchi Ryusuke, has been honored with the title of Japan’s representative director for the next generation, succeeding Koreeda Hirokazu, after winning the Silver Bear - Grand Jury Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival 2021 with Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (2021), and the Award for Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival 2021 with Drive My Car (2021). Being a well-known fan a of Director Bong, he has hosted the Guest Visit (GV) of Memories of Murder (2003) as a special guest at BIFF2019, and led a deep talk session about Parasite (2019) in Japan last year. The meeting with the audience will take place after the screenings, and the Special Talk will be held after the GVs of Drive My Car and Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy on Oct 7 (Thurs) with the two directors Bong Joon Ho and Hamaguchi Ryusuke. The tickets for this talk session will be sold as a package set, which will include the premiere, the GV, and the Special Talk, and will open on Sept 30 (Thurs). Furthermore, Leos Carax’s Master Class, “Leos Carax: The Cinema,” will be held on Oct 10 (Sun) at 5 PM (KST). Leos Carax, a director who continues to revisit and reinterpret classic films, while simultaneously exploring the new potential for films, is coming to Busan with his newest feature, Annette (2021), which won the Award for Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival 2021. The film, Annette, is the result of the collaboration between the American art-pop duo, Sparks, and the French auteur, Leos Carax, who has been eager to make a musical film for a long time. It is a story about a couple, a renowned opera singer (Marion Cotillard) and a stand-up comedian (Adam Driver), after giving birth to their first child, Annette. This Master Class is an event dedicated to exploring the cinematic world of the master director Leos CARAX and will give an opportunity for aspiring filmmakers and audiences to directly communicate with the internationally masterful director Leos Carax. This session will have in-depth discussions, and the BIFF Festival Director, Huh Moonyung, will be hosting the event as the moderator. Advance ticket sales for the Master Class will open on Sept 30 (Thus). The 26th Busan International Film Festival is hosting international directors Bong Joon Ho, Hamaguchi Ryusuke, and Leos Carax, and will be held for ten days from Oct 6 (Wed) to Oct 15 (Fri).
