HomePIFF Wraps Up 9-Day Run
Han Jeong-soo
Park Chul-soo
Pan You Geol
PIFF Wraps Up 9-Day Run
The 13th Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) closed Friday with the premiere of the South Korean film ``I Am Happy'' directed by Yoon Jong-chan.
This year's festival featured the largest number of films and world premiers, receiving good response from audiences. But the festival, the largest of its kind in Asia, has an air of calm rather than extravagance.
Asia's largest cinematic event featured a record number 315 films from 60 countries, including 85 world premieres and 95 Asian premiers at 37 theaters over the nine-day run.
The variety of films led to large audience figures. According to PIFF organizers, a total of 198,818 people participated in the event, slightly up from last year.
``This year's festival was exceptionally calm. It's because the festival has grown up over the 13 years and the sectional theaters reduced visitors' confusion,'' Kim Dong-ho, the festival director, said in a press conference before the closing ceremony.
Also, Kim and veteran French actress Anna Karina, who served as the head of the New Currents jury, announced the winners of the New Currents award ― Korean director Roh Gyeong-tae's "Land of Scarecrows" and Japanese director Ichii Masahide's " Naked of Defences."
^The winning films were selected from 14 New Currents candidates which represent the works of young filmmakers from across the region including films from Iran and Indonesia.
The award was designed to help aspiring young filmmakers realize their cinematic dreams. The winners will be given $30,000 prize money to help fund their next projects.
This year's festival started off on a sad note with the shocking news of the death of top star Choi Jin-sil on the opening day, and small technical problems were experienced in several small events at the beginning.
Also, the festival seemed depressed due to the recent slackening of the local film industry, with the larger film production and distribution companies sharply reduced this year.
However, the festival drew international attention as world cinematic stars such as Japanese actress Juri Ueno, Korean-descent Hollywood stars Moon Bloodgood, James Kyson Lee, Aaron Yoo, and Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-wai graced the festival.
During the festival, ``The Good, The Bad, The Weird,'' a Korean blockbuster movie, drew the highest popularity in a meeting with fans who gathered to see Jung Woo-sung, Song Kang-ho and Lee Byung-hun.
In the Asian Film Market, ``Secret Sunshine'' directed by Lee Chang-dong featuring the Cannes award-winning actress Jeon Do-yeon, was sold to Germany, while ``The Good, The Bad, The Weird'' directed by Kim Ji-woon were sold to Hong Kong and Sweden.
Actor Cho Jae-hyun and actress Ye Ji-won hosted the closing ceremony Friday evening. The closing film, ``I Am Happy'' about a dejected patient (hallyu star Hyun Bin) and heartbroken nurse (actress Lee Bo-young) who meet in a psychiatric ward, wrapped up the festival.
Source : http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2008/10/135_32468.html
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South Korea's all-time blockbuster "The Host" dominated prizes at the very first edition of the Asian Film Awards which took place March 20th in Hong Kong. The inaugural event aspires to be the Asian film industry's equivalent to the Oscars, recogniz...
"The Host" Tops Asian Film Awards
South Korea's monster flick "The Host" has dominated Hong Kong's inaugural Asian Film Awards after winning four awards out of its five nominations. The movie, directed by Bong Joon-ho, won the Best Film, Best Cinematographer and Best Visual Effect...
A survival guide for women in films
Old Miss Diary - Movie I always find it interesting that most films that have a single thirty-something woman as the heroine are either romantic comedies or thrillers. This is an alarming sign. It seems that women can no longer survive in films by...
S. Korean thriller towers above all in Hong Kong film festival
SEOUL, March 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's record-breaking monster thriller, "The Host", has prevailed in the 1st Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong, winning four prizes, event organizers said. The movie won best film Tuesday night, with its leading ma...
Song Kang-ho Wins Best Actor at HK Film
HONG KONG _ The South Korean film "The Host" shone at the Asian Film Awards yesterday, grabbing four awards. "The Host" won Best Film, Best Cinematographer and Best Visual Effects awards. Its main actor Song Kang-ho won the Best Actor Award. The B...
American Viewers Enticed by Korean Movie "The Host"
In a strong showing for a foreign film, the Korean movie "The Host" opened in the United States on 74 screens and grossed $320,000 in its first weekend. It has also received very strong reviews from the nation's leading film authorities, including Th...
"The Host" Tops Chinese Box-office
The movie "The Host" by director Bong Joon-ho topped the Chinese box-office last week by grossing around 5.2 million yuan in China. The movie became the first Korean film to ever top the Chinese box-office in the first week since its opening there...
Big stars, small screens and a boom in musicals
The year 2007 is all about major stars and even bigger budgets. Although the Korean pop wave hallyu is losing steam overall, more singers and bands hope to reach all-time high abroad. Local broadcasters have a lineup of top movie stars set to appear...
Funny women break through with a string of hit comedies
Women are enjoying remarkable success on the silver screen thanks to comedy. The movie "200 Pounds Beauty", which stars the actress Kim Ah-joong as an obese pop singer, has drawn more than 2.5 million people since its release on Dec. 14. This is the ...
