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Pusan Fest to Set Sail Next Month

By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter


The ship will set sail once again in the nation's biggest port city.

Since its maiden voyage in 1996, the ship of the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) has taken moviegoers to the continent of movies. The nine-day journey this year from Oct. 12 to Oct. 20 promises you more fun.

What awaits you at the destination is a range of interesting programs and events. Here is more information for the journey.

64 World Premieres

The festival presents a total of 245 films from 63 countries in 10 sections, and 64 films will make their world premieres. They will be screened at 31 screens in five theaters in Haeundae and Nampo-dong.

The festival begins with the melodrama "Trace of Love" by director Kim Dae-seung, who gained critical acclaim for his previous works including last year's hit thriller "Blood Rain" and the 2000 gay-themed melodrama "Bungee Jumping of their Own".

"Crazy Stone", a low-budget comedy written and directed by Chinese director Ning Hao, has been selected as the festival's closing film.

In the two sections, A Window on Asian Cinema and New Currents, more than 100 films by rising and master filmmakers in Asia will be shown.

"This year's interesting trend is that you can check out many emerging films from Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines", Kim Ji-seok, programmer of Asian films, said during a news conference on Sept. 12 at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Building in downtown Seoul.

"Recently, these countries have actively produced quality films, led by either by their governments or the private sector. During the festival, you can see the results of their efforts", Kim said.

To show a more diversified array of Korean films, the section, previously called Korean Film Panorama, was changed to Korean Cinema Today, and it has been divided into three sub-categories _ Panorama, Vision and Special Premiere.

Panorama shows a collection of recently opened Korean films, and low-budget, independent films will be shown in Vision, while in Special Premiere, upcoming commercial local films will be shown.

In the Korean film Retrospective section, old surviving movies that the Korean Film Archive has found will be screened, including "Sweet Dream", the oldest surviving Korean film, and the late director Shin Sang-ok's movies, which has been restored recently.

In Special Tribute to French Cinema, 10 classic and modern French masterpieces will be shown.

Various Fun Events


"Crazy Stone" by Chinese Director Ning Hao will close PIFF.
Along with the screenings of acclaimed movies, PIFF is famous for a range of special events, such as music concerts and talk sessions with celebrities, and this year is not an exception.

During the festival period, a new pavilion will be set up on the Haeundae Beach. Last year, a pavilion was built as the main exhibition hall to show the history of PIFF's last 10 years, but the pavilion's size will be doubled this year and used as the venue where visitors can meet celebrities and other guests.

Along with the pavilion, a number of promotional booths run by film companies as well as guest lounges and cafes will be lined up on the beach.

Every night from 7:30 p.m. at the outdoor theater in Haeundae Yacht Center, there will be a music concert before the movie screenings.

If you seek a more dynamic party, Cinematic Love held at Film Commission Cinema Studio B is where you should go. From 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Oct. 14 and Oct. 15, a big party with groove music from local bands and disc jockeys is scheduled.

Cinema Together, formerly known as Directors' Choice Troopers and Actors' Choice Troopers, provides a chance for audiences to meet and talk with nine emerging and established directors.

The 11th Pusan International Film Festival

When: Oct. 12-20
Where: 31 indoor and outdoor venues in Pusan
How much: 20,000 won
Info: Call (051) 747-3010 or (02) 3675-5097 or visit http://www.piff.org

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