[EDITORIALS]Way to go, Busan!

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[EDITORIALS]Way to go, Busan!

The Pusan International Film Festival has accomplished a monumental work in 10 years, making the port city of Busan renowned for films. When we think of the concerns raised when it was established in 1996, the pride of the organizers celebrating the event’s 10th anniversary shines even more.
Amid difficult and strenuous situations, the Pusan International Film Festival has emerged as Asia’s greatest film festival in just ten years, taking its place at the forefront of culture and transmitting the power of Korean films and the true face of Asian films to the world.
The 180,000 people that attended this year swam an ocean of movies, reveling in 307 works from 73 different countries. Famous European filmmakers as well as film industry people from other parts of Asia came to Busan and envied the passion of Korean audiences.
We extend our highest praise to the Asia Film Academy, for providing hands-on educational opportunities for young filmmakers across Asia.
Behind the success of the Pusan International Film Festival lies ten years of blood, sweat and tears shed by those in the film industry and volunteers who worked day and night without complaint. There was also the support and love of Busan citizens, who helped make their home the “city of movies” and the hearts of movie lovers nationwide who rush to Busan every autumn. We must not leave out the tenacity of chairman Kim Dong-ho, who started out with nothing. The reason we have done better than countries with more money and longer film-making histories was because of people like him.
The Pusan International Film Festival now stands at a new starting line, ready to move on to the next level with its past achievements as a springboard. Many tasks remain to be solved. The film center that broke ground this year must be completed as soon as possible because an exclusive theater would enable the festival to have a more stable schedule. The organizing committee also needs a more stable source of funds. Its 20-member full-time staff should be increased. It cannot rely on volunteers forever. The film market, which it plans to operate beginning next year, is yet another task for the organizing committee.
We should gather our efforts once more so that the Pusan International Film Festival can grow into a globally recognized event.
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