20th Busan International Film Festival to exhibit a selection of French films

Tourists visit the venue of the 17th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) at the Busan Cinema Center in Busan, South Korea, Oct. 3, 2012. (Xinhua/Park Jin hee)

In its 20th year, Busan International Film Festival 2015 is set to begin in October and this year, the Special Program in Focus introduces a selection of French films, recommended by prominent French filmmakers, actors, critics and festival organizes.

Following is the press release published by the BIFF:

In this symbolic year of the 20th Busan International Film Festival, the Special Program in Focus introduces France, a powerful nation of films and an old friend of Korea. Apart from its previous years, ‘My French Cinema,’ avoids the academic concept of introducing the directors, films, or the historical values. Instead, it creates a free and personal interaction between Korean and French film professionals, sharing French cinema with the audiences.

A total of 10 films will be presented under this Special Program, with 9 films recommended from prominent French directors, actors, critics and festival organizers, who will also visit in person and introduce the films to the festival audiences. It will be a rare opportunity to watch Jacques Demy’s A Room in Town with Leos Carax’s recommendation, A Man and a Woman (1966) which is about to have its 50 year anniversary by director Claude Lelouch. Moreover, the Artistic Director of the Cannes Critics’ Week Charles Tesson recommended Summer Hours (2008), while Cinémathèque Française Programming Director Jean-François Rauger, recommended Bellamy (2009) by Claude Chabrol. The last selection Marianne of My Youth (1955), a meaningful film loved by many Korean middle-aged cinephiles, was selected by the special program publication writers.

A non-Asian special program book will be published for the first time. The book will include essays and an interview by the Korean film professionals who express their love for French cinema. Of exceptional value is the interview by film critic Kim Jong-won who vividly shares his perspectives on French films released in Korea during the 1950s and the 1960s. The personal experiences and viewpoints on French cinema by the Busan International Film Festival honorary director Kim Dong-ho, director Jung Sung-il and Kim Jee-woon, and film critic Jung Han-seok will be interesting to learn from.

This program will be held to celebrate the ‘Korea – France Year 2015-2016’ and the Festival sincerely appreciates the emphatic support from the Institut Français and uniFrance Films for the special program screening and publishing of ‘My French Cinema.’

We hope this special program will provide a chance for younger generations to rediscover and see a new viewpoint of French cinema classics that Korean and French film professionals love.

[Special Program in Focus: My French Cinema Screening List]

*in chronological order