Chungmuro film festival to focus on classics
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Departing from other small-scale local film festivals favoring experimental works, the first Chungmuro International Film Festival will emphasize the classics and Korean cinema history, organizers said last week.
"The festival will help rediscover classic films, and depending on the results of the inaugural events this year, we will change the proportion of new features from next year", festival director Kim Hong-joon said.
The film festival will feature 150 films from 32 countries. It will start on Oct. 25 and run through Nov. 9 at Daehan Theater, ChungAng Cinema and Myeongbo Theater in Seoul. These theaters are at the center of Chungmuro -- a district which represents the hub of Korea's film industry.
Festival organizers and the district government aim to promote the events as an impetus for the redevelopment of the Chungmuro area, which had lost its popularity with Korean youth. The plan includes renaming a three-block section of Chungmuro the "Street of Cinema" to attract more visitors.
"We hope this festival will restore the fame of Chungmuro as the center of Korean filmmakers", said Chung Dong-il, head of the Chung-gu administration, which is spearheading the project despite concerns over the glut of local film festivals.
The Chungmuro festival has seven main sections and three special categories along with various events including outdoor screenings and concerts.
One of the highlights is CHIFFS Masters, a special group of films that will this year feature John Boorman, who will visit Seoul to join the festival. His major films, including "Leo the Last", "Lee Marvin: A Personal Portrait", and "Deliverance" will be screened.
In the main invitation section, about 20 features will be screened and some of classic films will showcase colorful visuals thanks to digital remastering techniques. The digitally restored version of "Henry V", which was directed by Laurence Olivier in 1944, and Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learn to Stop worrying and Love the Bumb" are expected to draw classic movie fans.
The festival will also devote a section to Charlie Chaplin, who passed away 30 years ago, featuring his major films, such as "Limelight", "Modern Times" and "The Great Dictator".
Special programs also include Korean classics from the 1940s to the 1970s, Australian film history, Hong Kong writer-director Patrick Tam and Japanese shorts from the 1920s and 1930s.
Ticket reservation starts from Oct. 15 and for further information call (02) 2236-6231 or visit its homepage at http://www.chiffs.kr
By Yang Sung-jin
"The festival will help rediscover classic films, and depending on the results of the inaugural events this year, we will change the proportion of new features from next year", festival director Kim Hong-joon said.
The film festival will feature 150 films from 32 countries. It will start on Oct. 25 and run through Nov. 9 at Daehan Theater, ChungAng Cinema and Myeongbo Theater in Seoul. These theaters are at the center of Chungmuro -- a district which represents the hub of Korea's film industry.
Festival organizers and the district government aim to promote the events as an impetus for the redevelopment of the Chungmuro area, which had lost its popularity with Korean youth. The plan includes renaming a three-block section of Chungmuro the "Street of Cinema" to attract more visitors.
"We hope this festival will restore the fame of Chungmuro as the center of Korean filmmakers", said Chung Dong-il, head of the Chung-gu administration, which is spearheading the project despite concerns over the glut of local film festivals.
The Chungmuro festival has seven main sections and three special categories along with various events including outdoor screenings and concerts.
One of the highlights is CHIFFS Masters, a special group of films that will this year feature John Boorman, who will visit Seoul to join the festival. His major films, including "Leo the Last", "Lee Marvin: A Personal Portrait", and "Deliverance" will be screened.
In the main invitation section, about 20 features will be screened and some of classic films will showcase colorful visuals thanks to digital remastering techniques. The digitally restored version of "Henry V", which was directed by Laurence Olivier in 1944, and Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learn to Stop worrying and Love the Bumb" are expected to draw classic movie fans.
The festival will also devote a section to Charlie Chaplin, who passed away 30 years ago, featuring his major films, such as "Limelight", "Modern Times" and "The Great Dictator".
Special programs also include Korean classics from the 1940s to the 1970s, Australian film history, Hong Kong writer-director Patrick Tam and Japanese shorts from the 1920s and 1930s.
Ticket reservation starts from Oct. 15 and for further information call (02) 2236-6231 or visit its homepage at http://www.chiffs.kr
By Yang Sung-jin
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