Bucheon film festival hopes to help Korean cinema bounce back

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Bucheon film festival hopes to help Korean cinema bounce back

Festival director Shin Chul of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Bifan) speaks during a press conference for this year's event at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Jung District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. [BUCHEON INTERNATIONAL FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL]

Festival director Shin Chul of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Bifan) speaks during a press conference for this year's event at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Jung District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. [BUCHEON INTERNATIONAL FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL]

 
The 27th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Bifan) is coming to cinephiles with a new slogan, “Cinema+.”
 
This year, 262 films from 51 countries will be screened during the festival, which will be held between June 29 to July 9 around Bucheon City Hall.
 
“This is high time for the cinema to be given a makeover and that is why we chose this new slogan ‘Cinema+,’” said Shin Chul, festival director for Bifan, during a press conference at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in central Seoul on Wednesday. “What the cinema is, what it can do for us, and what films should look like need redefining and reimagining. Our new slogan ‘Cinema+’ encompasses this. We also intend to assess the state of Korean cinema amidst significant shifts in the industry and the cultural landscape.”
 
Main poster for the 27th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival [BUCHEON INTERNATIONAL FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL]

Main poster for the 27th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival [BUCHEON INTERNATIONAL FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL]

 
This year’s edition of Bifan will kick off with the opening film “Beau Is Afraid” by American director Ari Aster, best known for his horror films “Hereditary” (2018) and “Midsommar” (2019). “Beau Is Afraid” is a tragicomedy that centers around the protagonist Beau, who has to confront his greatest fears as he travels home to his mother’s funeral.
 
 
Japanese director Takashi Shimizu’s “Sana” will close the 27th Bifan. Shimizu previously directed “Ju-on: The Curse” (2000) and sequel “Ju-on: The Grudge” (2002), and is known globally for his fantasy and horror films. “Sana” centers on a young girl who can haunt people with a cursed melody.
 
Films competing for the main prize of Bifan are divided into two sections, “Bucheon Choice: Features” for international feature films and “Korean Fantastic: Features” for domestically produced features.  
 
Programmers of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Bifan) speak during a press conference for this year's event at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Jung District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. [BUCHEON INTERNATIONAL FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL]

Programmers of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Bifan) speak during a press conference for this year's event at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Jung District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. [BUCHEON INTERNATIONAL FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL]

 
In the international “Bucheon Choice: Features” section, a total of 10 films including American director Franklin Ritch’s “The Artifice Girl,” Taiwanese director Kai Ko’s “Bad Education,” Mongolian director Batdelger Byambasuren’s “Disorder” and Danish director Karoline Lyngbye’s “Superposition” will be screened.  
 
Another 10 films are selected for the “Korean Fantastic: Features” section, with some noticeable works being Park Jae-in’s “2035,” Jeon Seong-pyo’s “Helpless,” Ha Myung-mi’s “Her Hobby” and Kim Sang-hoon’s “Immortal.” These films “reflect the aftermath of the changes brought about by the past four years and the challenges confronting the Korean film industry,” according to Ellen Kim, head programmer of the Asian Cinema division of Bifan.
 
Other sections dedicated to special themes and issues, such as “Mad MaxX,” introducing genre masters of world cinema, “Adrenaline Ride,” showing recent hardcore horror and action films, “Metal Noir” for sci-fi films and the “Merry-Go-Around” section for films that blend fantasy with drama and comedy are lined up.
 
“We hope that this year’s Bifan will entertain cinephiles and also have a hand in the revival of the Korean film scene after the crisis,” said Chung Ji-young, chairperson of the organizing committee, referring to the recent plummeting sales of domestically produced films and the trend of people turning to streaming services rather than visiting cinemas. The Korean Film Council called the situation a “crisis” in an annual report of the film industry in March this year.
 
“More than ever, we need support and enthusiasm from everyone to overcome this crisis,” said Chung. “Bifan has been continuing steadily for the past 26 years. We hope that this year’s edition will open new doors for the industry as well as introduce new films and perspectives to fantasy genre lovers.”
 

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]
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