Kim Ji-seok, late BIFF director, to be honored
Various memorial events are planned through this year’s Busan International Film Festival to remember its deputy executive director who died during his last business trip to France, the festival said Sunday.Kim Ji-seok, 57, died of a heart attack at a hotel in Cannes where he visited to attend the 70th Cannes Film Festival in May. He was a founding member and executive programmer of the Busan film festival that launched in 1996.
Screening a memorial video during the opening ceremony of this year’s festival is part of the plan in discussion, the festival authority said.
The festival also plans to publish a booklet that includes memorial messages and photos of Kim for distribution to visitors and have a memorial night where film industry figures from Korea and abroad can share their memories of the BIFF founding member.
The festival may create an award named after him in the Window of Asian Cinema section for introducing the latest films from established Asian directors.
“The deceased has greatly contributed to the growth of the BIFF while working as its founding member and executive programmer tasked with discovering and introducing films from all around the world for a long time,” a BIFF official said. “We will prepare a variety of programs to commemorate him in full reflection of what the bereaved family want.”
The 22nd edition of the festival will open in the southern port city of Busan on Oct. 12 for a 10-day run. Yonhap
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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