As an ardent admirer of the enchanting world of cinema, I must say that attending the opening night of the 29th Busan International Film Festival was nothing short of a revelation. The red-carpet parade, under the gleaming roof of the futuristic Busan Cinema Center, was a spectacle to behold, with stars like Lee Jung-jae from “Squid Game” leading the way.
On the opening night of the 29th Busan International Film Festival, “Squid Game” actor Lee Jung-jae was one of the notable Korean stars who led a grand procession on the red carpet. The event commenced on Wednesday, presenting a vivid display of international unity and a visually stunning, albeit debatable, Korean film produced by Netflix as its highlight.
At the lively gathering, held under the partially open skies of the modern Busan Cinema Center, approximately 4,500 attendees gathered. Despite the challenges faced by the festival and the broader Korean film industry, there was an atmosphere of optimism. Officers at the event unveiled a fresh motto—”Vision for Asia, Sea of Cinema”—a symbol of Busan’s renewed aspirations in preparation for the 30th anniversary edition coming up next year.
Last year, internal disagreements severely impacted the organization of the festival, leading major backers to withdraw and leaving a tightened financial situation. Although some of these issues have since been resolved, increased funding from local sponsors and city authorities has merely offset the decline in federal aid.
Furthermore, it’s become quite difficult for anything other than blockbuster films to succeed at the Korean box office. This struggle is amplified by intense competition not only from domestic and foreign streaming services for acting and technical talent, but also for screen time.
The event featured the bestowal of the previously-declared Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award upon Japan’s Kiyoshi Kurosawa. This distinguished filmmaker has three films releasing this year: “Chime,” which premiered in Berlin, “Cloud” from Venice, and “Serpent’s Path,” which debuted commercially in Japan but also boasts a festival history that began in San Sebastian. Over the coming days, Kurosawa will be occupied with numerous presentations and a masterclass.
Kurosawa stated that he considers the attendees at the Busan festival to be the most refined in the world. He came to Busan specifically to showcase his films to such a discerning group,” said Kurosawa. This year, two of his 2024 films are being screened.
The event additionally showcased the debut of the Camellia Award, crafted by Chanel’s fashion house, honoring trailblazing females in cinema. This inaugural award was bestowed upon production designer Ryu Seong-hie, in recognition of her contributions to movies such as “Memories of Murder,” “Oldboy,” and “Decision to Leave.” As she began her career, there were scarcely any female production designers, and genre films were predominantly male territories. Ryu aimed to demonstrate that women could also create innovative, intense, raw, and terrifying genre films.
In recognition of his significant contributions to the Korean film industry, the Korean Cinema Award was posthumously given to the esteemed actor Lee Sun-kyun. This honor came after a heart-wrenching compilation of his on-screen performances left many in tears. Regrettably, Lee Sun-kyun took his own life in December of the previous year while starring in the critically acclaimed film “Parasite.
Attending the red carpet event were: Glenn Gainor from Amazon Studios, Belinda Lui from the MPAA, Christian Jeune (who also serves on the jury for Busan), Donsaron Kovitvanitcha (Bangkok World Cinema’s festival programmer), Albert Lee (festival programmer for Hong Kong), Sabrina Baracetti (FEFF Udine festival programmer), Indian director Rima Das and actress Banita Das from “Village Rockstars 2”, Filipino director Brillante Mendoza with his latest film “Motherland”, as well as Pat Boonnitipat and Billikin, the director and star of the Thai hit film “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies.” Also in attendance were Portugal’s Miguel Gomes, whose most recent work is the acclaimed “Grand Tour,” and who was also the subject of a career retrospective at the festival.
At the event were notable Korean personalities such as Gang Dong-won, who played the lead in the opening movie “Uprising”, the ceremony’s hosts Park Boyoung and Ahn Jaehong, film director Hur Jin-ho of “A Normal Family”, and Kim Dong-ho, a former censor turned activist who served as the festival’s inaugural chairman.
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2024-10-02 14:49