Director Young Hansiok is planning a new session for the future of the Busan Festival
While the Busan International Film Festival celebrates the thirtieth anniversary of its founding, director Jung Hangok does not inhabit previous achievements. Instead, he organizes what he calls the “beginning of a new chapter” for one of the most cinematic festivals in Asia.
The prominent version, which opened with Park Chan-Look, is the most dramatic shift in BIFF history, which focuses on launching the first competition for the ever competition and a comprehensive re-imagination of the festival structure.
“The weight of the number” 30 “is definitely indispensable,” says Yong diverse. “But I did not want to be simply from looking at the previous glories or just congratulations. If this edition should be remembered as a huge year, this is not because of the same number, but because it represents the beginning of a new chapter for the Busan International Film Festival.”
The new competition department is perhaps the most daring step in the Young Festival reform for six months. By integrating new currents and long KIM JISEOK programs, BIFF has created a more effective platform for Asian cinema.
Young’s explicit evaluation of the previous regime reveals strategic thinking behind the change: “I realized that the two sections are our representatives, the new currents and the JISEOK section, have reached their borders in terms of influence. If someone is asking,“ What are the winners of the new currents last year and JISEOK prizes? “Most people – including me – will not be able to remember them.”
The new approach actually shows the results. “Shortly after the announcement of this year’s assortment, two films invited to secure sales agents: Daisuke Shigaya ‘Leave The Cat alone’ and Vimukththi Jayasundra ‘Scaning Stars’.
The 14th competition headlines reflect Young’s commitment to quality on the geographical balance. “In choosing 14 films, we gave little attention to regional diversity.” “Regardless of the hypothesis that the collection should be Asian cinema, our focus was only on the fundamental value of each work.”
This approach led to a great representation from Japan, China and Korea – a reflection, says Young, on “one aspect of the current Asian cinema scene, which was explained by the new Busan Competition section.”
The opening cup of the competition, designed by Palme d’or Apichatpong Werasethakul, embodies the new festival philosophy. The Thai author described his creation as “something that can resemble a heart, or perhaps a vase of flowers, with a feeling of water flowing inward.”
“Tell me, I felt that the Busan International Film Festival has a similar spirit, as the creators and their stories meet in the hole,” Young recalls. The cup represents something “underestimated, not compressed, liquid and constantly variable, just like water.”
This edition includes the anniversary 241 films across expanded places, with renewed sections including an extended midnight passion, the relevant vision program, and the return of Asian cinema 100. Balance the philosophy of programming in Jung with accuracy.
“It was important not to look at the trees, but to see the entire forest,” explains. “With the overall balance of the festival in mind, I also made bold choices and focused focused within each individual program.”
FORUM BIFF reflects the Jung’s approach to industry challenges, with a focus on two main topics: overcoming the Korean movie industry crisis and assessing Asian cinema trends. The paintings are characterized by active industry practitioners instead of theorists.
“Our approach is one and the same: to avoid abstract discourse or empty theory, and instead focus on developing concrete practical solutions to the urgent issues facing both industries today,” Young confirms.
Park Chan-Look opened the festival, which was chosen for both artistic merit and commercial attractiveness. “While the Korean movie industry faces a crisis, we felt that there could be no more convenient option than this movie as a sign of encouragement,” says Young. “From Park Chan Wook, who has long stood as one of the distinguished characters of Korean cinema, in addition, the project that was covered by his life.”
The jury, led by Na Hong Jin’s competing director, embodies the Young vision of this section. “We wanted to lead the first competition department by a person with both vision and boldness, and for this reason we chose the director Na Hong Jin as the jury head.”
While Jung prefers describing his initiatives as “creating a competition section” instead of converting BIFF into a competitive festival, he admits the possibility of expansion. “If the newly created competition department is rooted, we may think about expansion, whether by adding new prizes or creating new programs in the future.”
At the present time, the focus remains on the current shift. Amal Yong is that “in the coming years, this edition will be remembered as the first bold step on a real transformational trip.”
With BIFF enter the fourth contract, the Jung’s environmental approach – where all sections coexist, does not fail to knee or neglect, but work in harmony as a whole. ” – The festival places not only as a celebration of Asian cinema, but as a decisive platform in filmmaking in the region.