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Asian Film Academy Kicks Off

Film Students From Various Asian Countries Gather for Inaugural Class

By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter

NAMYANGJU, Kyonggi Province _ At a film studio in Kyonggi Province, an indoor set shows an ordinary living room surrounded by a couple of cameras. However, there are no actors or film crew around. Instead, all you can see are the inquisitive eyes of students of various nationalities, eager to learn about the craft of filmmaking and the use of new technology.

The students are participants of the Asian Film Academy (AFA), a new program co-organized by the Pusan International Film Festival, Korean Film Council and Dongseo University to help promising young Asian filmmakers.

"I find this program a really good opportunity to learn how to use the latest technology for filming", Edwin from Indonesia said while attending a lecture on the use of high-definition (HD) digital cameras on Monday. "For example, HD technology is not affordable for us now, but we know that in the future, this kind of technology will be (an important part of filmmaking)".

The experience of collaborating with other Asian filmmakers is also what he expects from the program, he added.

AFA invited 28 talented young Asian filmmakers, selected from a total of 164 submissions from 19 Asian countries after a screening process through submitted portfolios.

The filmmakers arrived on Sunday, and by the following day, they were already busy participating in a series of classes, group activities and seminars. Their daily schedule is so tightly organized that it begins at 8 a.m. and ends around midnight.

The program takes place at the Seoul Film Studio Complex in Namyangju until Sept. 30. Then, the students will participate in the Pusan part of the program from Oct. 1 through Oct. 14.

Staying at the Seoul Film Studio Complex, they will join intensive training courses for basic film techniques, and will make a short film together based on what they learn.

On Monday, they had the opportunity to talk with renowned local director Lee Chang-dong. After the screening of Lee's film, "Oasis", which won the best director's prize at Venice festival in 2002, the director talked about the making of the work and his philosophy on filmmaking in general.


In Pusan, the students will work with such renowned Asian directors as Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao Hsien, Thailand's Nonzee Nimibutr, celebrated cinematographer Yu Likwai and Korea's Park Ki-yong.

The students say that this rare opportunity to work with directors they admire is what led them to apply for the program.

"You can't easily expect to meet such famous directors and to hear a piece of advice from them", said Shu Chi Hsu, a Taiwanese university student majoring in film directing.

She also finds the program an opportunity to learn about Korean films, which have recently gained huge popularity abroad.

Some students have had a few problems such as language barriers, cultural differences and food, said Wook Steven Heo, an instructor of the training course in Namyangju and a professor at Yong In University. However, "they are so passionate about everything, and they are really proud of being here, which you can notice by looking at their eyes", he said.

"The schedule is so tight and they have to get used to the new environment quickly, but no one has complained about them".

Compared to students he teaches at his university, Heo found the AFA participants more energetic and eager to work hard. He said many of them didn't sleep on the first night as they were writing a script for their short film project in the complex.

In Pusan, they will also make a film with Thai director Nimibutr and Korea's Park Ki-yong. Both films will be shown on Oct. 13 during the Pusan film festival.

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