[26회 BIFF]Bong Joon-ho, Song Joong-ki, and Yoo Ah-in red carpet revival, ‘with Corona’ scale

[부산=아시아경제 이이슬 기자] The 26th Busan International Film Festival opened after two years in the aftermath of COVID-19. The film festival, which declared ‘with Corona’, raised its sails and sailed to the sea of ​​films in the presence of domestic and foreign masters and actors. It seems to be a measure of whether it will become a stepping stone to regain its former vitality.

On the afternoon of the 6th, the opening ceremony of the 26th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) was held at the outdoor theater of the Busan Cinema Center, hosted by Song Joong-ki and Park So-dam. After the opening ceremony, Im Sang-soo’s film, ‘Heaven: To the Land of Happiness’, which is the opening film, will be screened to open the full curtain.

In the open-air theater, in a space accommodating 1,200 people, only 50% of the total number of seats were operated to practice social distancing. In addition, only those who had been vaccinated for two weeks or who tested negative for PCR were allowed to enter.

A few hours before the opening ceremony, the whole area of ​​the Cinema Center was busy. The red carpet was laid early and security forces were deployed to control the vehicle. The outdoor seating is also a sight to behold in a long time. Entrance is possible only after taking body temperature measurement, safe call access control, and QR check-in at the entrances of BIFF Village and Central Theater.

The opening ceremony was attended by actors Ahn Sung-ki, Choi Min-sik, Park Hae-il, Cho Jin-woong, Yoo Ah-in, Kim Hyeon-joo, Jeon Yeo-bin, Song Joong-ki, Ahn Bo-hyeon, Choi Hee-seo, as well as Bong Joon-ho, Im Kwon-taek, and Hamaguchi Ryusuke.

photo = Yonhap News

Last year, the operation was reduced due to the aftermath of COVID-19, but this year, it shows the will to hold it normally in accordance with the quarantine rules. 223 films from more than 70 countries are screened in 29 theaters in 6 theaters, and only half of the seats are operated at each theater. Last year, each film was screened only once, but this year, as in previous years, it will be screened 2-3 times per episode. All Korean film GV (Conversation with Audience) is conducted on-site, while foreign films are conducted online and offline.

11 nominations are selected for the New Currents Award in the competition section. Selected films will be nominated for the New Currents Award, Audience Award, NETPAC Award, and PE Fresh Award. This year’s jury was chaired by Indian-born virtuoso director Deepah Mehta.

Various special exhibitions are also on display. In addition to two special exhibitions dealing with Asian films, new online video services (OTT) will also be screened. The special exhibition ‘Wonder Women’s Movie’, which selects the best Asian films made by female directors through a survey of film industry experts, and ‘Chinese Movies, New Voices’ will also be held, introducing the films of Chinese directors who have recently received worldwide attention.

In the on-screen section, the most popular OTT drama series will be presented as a world premiere or an Asian premiere. In the first year, three films were invited: ‘Hell’ by director Yeon Sang-ho, ‘My Name’ by Kim Jin-min, and ‘Forbidden’ by Anucha Byeonwatana (Thailand) & Josh Kim (USA). ‘Hell’ and ‘My Name’ are Netflix series, and ‘Forbidden’ is HBO ASIA’s original drama series.

Community Beef, which started in Nampo-dong, Jung-gu, Busan, the birthplace of the film festival, spreads throughout Busan. Community BIFF has newly established Neighborhood Bang Ne Biff and plans to screen movies in 14 districts and villages.

[이미지출처=연합뉴스]

photo = Yonhap News

Many domestic and foreign directors gather in Busan. Director Im Kwon-taek is the winner of the ‘Asian Filmmaker of the Year’, and director Im Sang-soo and Park Chan-wook, who directed the opening film ‘To the Land of Happiness’, visit the festival. In the gala presentation section, director Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s ‘Drive My Car’ and ‘Occasion and Imagination’ and director Leo Karax’s ‘Anette’ will be presented. Director Bong Joon-ho and director Hamaguchi Ryusuke have a special talk on the 7th.

Major blockbuster works are also unveiled in Busan. The French film ‘Silent Morning’, starring Yoo Yeon-seok and Olga Kurylenko, and ‘Mona Lisa and Blood Moon’ starring Jeon Jong-seo, who was invited to this year’s Venice International Film Festival competition section, will be screened.

Actors also visit Busan to meet with the audience. Je-Hoon Jeon, Jong-Seo Jeon, Yo-Han Byun, etc. will be on stage as the main characters of ‘Actors House’, and the hard-cut X Watcha original short film project ‘Unframed’ will also be released, with Jung-Min Park, Seok-Gu Son, Hee-Seo Choi, and Je-Hoon Lee as directors. . In addition, Song Joong-ki and Jeon Yeo-bin of ‘Seungri-ho’ will meet with the audience.

Asian Film Fund, Asian Film Academy, Platform Busan, etc. will be temporarily suspended this year as well as last year in the aftermath of COVID-19.

After the closing press conference on the morning of the 15th, the Busan International Film Festival, which has lifted the curtain, ends with the screening of the closing film ‘Maeyeombang’ (directed by Leung Rok-man) in the afternoon. The closing ceremony will be hosted by actors Lee Joon-hyuk and Lee Joo-young.

Busan = Reporter Lee Seul

Reporter Lee Seul ssmoly6@asiae.co.kr