Pusan Fest Grows With Asian Cinema
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Progammer Kim Ji-seok Talks About Development of Asian Films
By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter
When Kim Ji-seok visited such major international film festivals as Venice and Cannes 10 years ago, he found Asian films were merely novelty items, adding a "global" flavor to the festival. But nowadays, the programmer for the Window on Asian Cinema section of the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) says it would be difficult to find a festival with no Asian films screening.
"Asian films have been doing well in the past 10 years. They are being invited to big film festivals and included in main competition sections or premiere as opening or closing films", Kim said during an interview with The Korea Times. "Just decades ago, to say it in a harsh manner, Asia was just a frontier in the picture of the international film industry".
Kim says Asian films have struggled to find their identity and break from the mold of Hollywood films, and now they're successfully showing the diversity of Asian culture to people outside the continent.
To give an example, Kim says that he used to watch some 200 films a year while preparing for the early editions of the festival. Now he has to see about 800.
"It's not just a matter of quantity. The 800 films were chosen from a larger pool and are all worth watching. And they are from various countries, such as Iran, China, Thailand and South Korea, as well as Japan and India", Kim says. He usually travels to 10 different cities a year to collect films for the festival.
As the Pusan festival, considered the top Asian film event, is devoted to promoting Asian films since its inception in 1995, Kim is very proud that the festival has coincided with Asian films' success.
Since no one thought the Pusan festival would survive, much less obtain its current reputation, when it was launched, Kim has mixed feelings when he looks back on how the festival has grown.
He is one of the establishing members, including other two programmers and festival director Kim Dong-ho, who have led the festival since its inception. They have had to deal with many difficulties from attracting funds and finding venues to fighting censorship of controversial films.
While preparing for the fourth edition of the event in 1999, Kim had to quit his job as a university professor to fully devote himself to the festival, but he doesn't seem to regret his decision.
"I was overwhelmed by the audience demand. Tickets sold out so fast, filling up the 3,500 seats at the outdoor screening. It was really awesome", Kim recalls.
Kim said the festival organizers are grateful for those who have supported it in the past decade, and as part of the 10th anniversary celebrations this year, the event will offer many programs to commemorate.
"This year's festival is especially dedicated to those who have truly made the festival prosper, so we will throw a big party for them with other participatory events as a gesture of appreciation", Kim says.
This year, the festival, which takes place from Oct. 6 to 14, will show the most number of works ever _ 308 short and feature-length films from 73 countries with 63 world premieres. And such special programs as Re-mapping of Asian Auteur Cinema 1 and PIFF's Asian Pantheon will give audiences a chance to look back on how the festival has grown.
Regarding the festival's main roles, Kim explains that the festival has focused on introducing talented Asian filmmakers' works to international audiences. And through the Pusan Promotional Plan (PPP), they have helped filmmakers meet investors for their film project since the festival's fourth edition.
This year, the festival will launch on Sept. 24 a month-long training program titled Asian Filmmakers Academy to give practical help to young Asian filmmakers. "And finally, in the long-term, we hope to open a film market", Kim says.
Kim says he is well aware there is still a long way to go before the fest becomes a hub for Asian films. They are still working to create an ideal situation for them to compete with other major international film festivals and intend to keep on upgrading the festival for moviegoers, filmmakers and industry people.
By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter
When Kim Ji-seok visited such major international film festivals as Venice and Cannes 10 years ago, he found Asian films were merely novelty items, adding a "global" flavor to the festival. But nowadays, the programmer for the Window on Asian Cinema section of the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) says it would be difficult to find a festival with no Asian films screening.
"Asian films have been doing well in the past 10 years. They are being invited to big film festivals and included in main competition sections or premiere as opening or closing films", Kim said during an interview with The Korea Times. "Just decades ago, to say it in a harsh manner, Asia was just a frontier in the picture of the international film industry".
Kim says Asian films have struggled to find their identity and break from the mold of Hollywood films, and now they're successfully showing the diversity of Asian culture to people outside the continent.
To give an example, Kim says that he used to watch some 200 films a year while preparing for the early editions of the festival. Now he has to see about 800.
"It's not just a matter of quantity. The 800 films were chosen from a larger pool and are all worth watching. And they are from various countries, such as Iran, China, Thailand and South Korea, as well as Japan and India", Kim says. He usually travels to 10 different cities a year to collect films for the festival.
As the Pusan festival, considered the top Asian film event, is devoted to promoting Asian films since its inception in 1995, Kim is very proud that the festival has coincided with Asian films' success.
Since no one thought the Pusan festival would survive, much less obtain its current reputation, when it was launched, Kim has mixed feelings when he looks back on how the festival has grown.
He is one of the establishing members, including other two programmers and festival director Kim Dong-ho, who have led the festival since its inception. They have had to deal with many difficulties from attracting funds and finding venues to fighting censorship of controversial films.
While preparing for the fourth edition of the event in 1999, Kim had to quit his job as a university professor to fully devote himself to the festival, but he doesn't seem to regret his decision.
"I was overwhelmed by the audience demand. Tickets sold out so fast, filling up the 3,500 seats at the outdoor screening. It was really awesome", Kim recalls.
Kim said the festival organizers are grateful for those who have supported it in the past decade, and as part of the 10th anniversary celebrations this year, the event will offer many programs to commemorate.
"This year's festival is especially dedicated to those who have truly made the festival prosper, so we will throw a big party for them with other participatory events as a gesture of appreciation", Kim says.
This year, the festival, which takes place from Oct. 6 to 14, will show the most number of works ever _ 308 short and feature-length films from 73 countries with 63 world premieres. And such special programs as Re-mapping of Asian Auteur Cinema 1 and PIFF's Asian Pantheon will give audiences a chance to look back on how the festival has grown.
Regarding the festival's main roles, Kim explains that the festival has focused on introducing talented Asian filmmakers' works to international audiences. And through the Pusan Promotional Plan (PPP), they have helped filmmakers meet investors for their film project since the festival's fourth edition.
This year, the festival will launch on Sept. 24 a month-long training program titled Asian Filmmakers Academy to give practical help to young Asian filmmakers. "And finally, in the long-term, we hope to open a film market", Kim says.
Kim says he is well aware there is still a long way to go before the fest becomes a hub for Asian films. They are still working to create an ideal situation for them to compete with other major international film festivals and intend to keep on upgrading the festival for moviegoers, filmmakers and industry people.
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