Busan Film Festival Sets Park Chan-wook Scripted Netflix Title ‘Uprising’ as Opener, Expands Program Despite Slashed Funding

As a film enthusiast who has spent countless hours immersed in the rich tapestry of Asian cinema, I find myself eagerly anticipating this year’s Busan International Film Festival. The expansion of its screening program by 8%, despite a 50% cut in government financial support, is a testament to the festival’s resilience and commitment to maintaining its status as Asia’s top film festival.

The Busan International Film Festival plans to increase its film screenings by approximately 8%, aiming to preserve the grandeur expected of the leading film festival in Asia. Notably, this growth comes amid a reduction of half in the financial aid provided by the government.

On October 2nd, the festival commences featuring “Uprising,” an elaborate historical drama filled with A-list stars, which hails from Netflix and is both written and produced by Park Chan-wook (of “Oldboy” fame), while being directed by Kim Sang-man.

The Eric Khoo-directed film titled “Spirit World” is set to conclude its run on October 11. This movie, which was filmed in Japan, features the renowned French actress Catherine Deneuve as the main character and was directed by Singapore’s own Eric Khoo.

In the movie, a servant (portrayed by Gang Dong-won) and his master, who’s a member of a noble family with military ties, aim for the servant’s freedom. However, unexpected challenges surface along the way. The cast includes Cha Seung-won, Kim Shin-rock, Jin Sun-kyu, and Jung Sung-il. According to the festival selectors, the film is marked by Park Chan-wook’s distinctive humor intertwined in a gripping plot filled with profound conflict and palpable tension, making it an energetic and captivating watch.

This year’s highly respected Asian Filmmaker Award will be presented to Japanese director Kurosawa Kiyoshi. His latest work, “Cloud,” recently debuted at Venice and his film “Serpent’s Path” is set to have its global premiere in San Sebastian. Both movies will also be screened in Busan.

At the upcoming festival, a total of 224 films (both features and shorts) will be showcased as part of their official selection. On top of that, an extra 55 films will be featured in their community outreach program. To manage this extended lineup, the festival plans to utilize 28 screens across seven different venues, including the KOFIC Theater, which is near the main festival center in the Centum area.

Despite the significant global influence and cultural impact of Korea’s entertainment industry, financial support for the arts from the government has been reduced under the current administration. As a result, the Busan International Film Festival has had to pursue more commercial sponsorship and private funding, a challenge compounded by public disagreements within the organization last year. In January, they appointed Park Kwang-su as chairman, but kept Pak Dosin in his role as deputy director, and have yet to find a permanent festival director.

Leading up to Tuesday’s press conference, the festival previously unveiled plans for a retrospective featuring Miguel Gomes, a tribute honoring the late Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun, and the debut of a ‘Teen Spirit, Teen Movie’ segment.

In addition, it unveiled the chosen works for its two primary competition categories, New Currents and Jiseok. However, there are more updates on the horizon, including the introduction of a Documentary Audience Award worth approximately $7,500 USD, as well as details about the rest of the non-competitive programming that will be announced later.

The primary five showcases during the festival will feature Kurosawa’s “Cloud” and “Serpent’s Path,” Jia Zhangke’s “Caught by the Tides,” Gomes’ “Grand Tour,” and Patricia Mazuy’s “Visiting Hours.”

2024-09-03 12:46

Busan Film Festival Sets Park Chan-wook Scripted Netflix Title ‘Uprising’ as Opener, Expands Program Despite Slashed Funding

Read More

Minority Mindset