Chungmuro International Film Festival in Seoul

Seoul will host newcomer Chungmuro International Film Festival in Seoul (CHIFFS, English website: http://eng.chiffs.kr/) from October 25 until November 2, 2007.

The festival will take place in the Chungmuro area, originally, home of Korean cinema, at the venues: Myungbo Theater, Joongang Cinema, Daehan Theater, Chungmu Art Hall, and Namsan Hanok Village. Namsan Hanok Village showcases traditional Korean 'hanok' houses and it should be an inspiring location for CHIFF's outdoor screenings.

CHIFFS operates under the slogan 'Discovery, Restoration, and Creation' to pursue their three objectives: "To discover the traditions of global cinema; to acknowledge and reintroduce Korean film history to audiences; and to create a new cinematic culture in response to the rapid changes in media seen in the early 21st century".

In addition, CHIFFS expressed its desire to be inventive by transforming the public into active audiences instead of passive viewers. CHIFFS said that it will attempt to transform the viewing experience into a cultural event.

Part of CHIFFS ambitions to present the past, present and future of cinema, CHIFFS also restores and preserves Korean historical films.

CHIFFS program includes retrospectives of Charlie Chaplin, director John Boorman; and will introduce influential Hong Kong director/editor Patrick Tam, among others. The Korean film line-up includes: "The Guests of the Last" Train by Yu Hyun-mok, "Children in the Firing Range" by Kim Soo-yong, and "The Queen of Elegy" by Han Hyeong-mo. CHIFFS will also feature live music performances at Namsan Hanok Village and CheonggyeCheon (stream in northern Seoul).

The first Chungmuro International Film Festival in Seoul is in the capable hands of Kim Hong-joon, former director of Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival.

Yi Ch'ang-ho (KOFIC)

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