S. Korea's largest genre film fest opens

(ATTN: RECASTS lead; ADDS festival programmer's comment, expected number of guests
in paras 6, 9, 11)
By Shin Hae-in
BUCHEON, South Korea, July 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's largest genre film fest
opened Thursday, with more than 1,000 film buffs, stars and auteurs from in and
out of the country flocking to this small city just outside of Seoul.
Opening with "M.W.," Japanese director Hitoshi Iwamoto's live-action adaptation
of Osamu Tezuka's dark revenge manga, the Puchon International Fantastic Film
Festival (PiFan) will screen 201 films from 41 countries through July 26.
The festival still uses the older spelling for the host city Bucheon.
Since its birth in 1997, PiFan has grown quickly through cooperation with Japan's
Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival and European Fantastic Film Festival
Federation. The event is praised by enthusiasts for its focus on Eastern and
Southeastern Asian cinema.
Celebrating its 13th anniversary this year, the festival will focus on horror and
thriller films, particularly those involving the "unlucky number 13."
"We have various horror, SF, thriller and fantasy films lined up this year for
genre film enthusiasts," said Kwon Yong-min, programmer of the 2009 PiFan. "At
the same time, we have expanded programs for teenagers and children as a growing
number of people have been attending the event on a family basis."
A total of 38 films will be screened for the first time at PiFan in eight
categories: Puchon Choice, World Fantastic Cinema, Fantastic Short Films,
Forbidden Zone, Family Fanta, Ani-Fanta, Special Programs and Retrospectives.
Most of the premiere tickets have already sold out, event organizers said, with
about 10 percent of tickets set aside for on-spot purchases. Tickets for the
opening film "M.W." sold out in less than five minutes.
"While Japanese blockbusters generally emphasize the country's regional
characteristics, 'M.W.' portrays ubiquitous themes and ideas, making it a perfect
opening film," programmer Kwon explained.
Directors Yang Ik-june, Song Il-gon, Lim Kwon-taek, Tom Shankland, Patrice Toye,
Yasichiro Yamamoto, Pascal Laugier, as well as actors Nick Cheung, Kim Heung-soo
and actresses Hikari Mitsushima, Koo Hye-sun and Jang Nara are among the local
and international big names attending this year's PiFan.
More than 1,500 people, including Bucheon Mayor Hong Kun-pyo, will be attending
the opening ceremony.
PiFan gives out six awards in its official competition section, the Puchon Choice
Feature, selected by five jurors led by renowned British film critic and
screenwriter Tony Rayns.
Four awards totaling 13 million won (US$10,000) will be given to short films
chosen by three jurors including Todd Brown, the founder and editor of online
film magazine Twitch. Another award, selected by two representatives of the
European Fanstastic Film Festivals Foundation, will be given to Asian films.
PiFan has also established two new prizes this year, the Netpac Award and the
Fujifilm Eterna Award, to honor memorable Asian films and independent features by
emerging Korean auteurs.
The 11-day event will close with "Merantu" by Gareth Huw Evans, considered the
first Indonesian martial arts film, featuring a skilled practitioner of "Silat
Harimau" carrying out a century's old rite-of-passage in the city of Jakarta.
hayney@yna.co.kr
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