Bucheon international film festival's 11-day run to feature record 321 films
Under the slogan "New era, new skin," this year's event will showcase features and shorts, including 93 films making their world premiere, from 50 countries.
Actor Chang Mi-hee, the chairperson of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, center, speaks during a press conference in western Seoul on June 9.
YONHAP
The Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Bifan), Korea's largest genre film festival, will kick off its 11-day run on Thursday with a record 321 films, organizers said.
Bifan, which marks its 30th anniversary this year, will take place in venues across Bucheon, Gyeonggi, through July 12.
Under the slogan "New era, new skin," this year's event will showcase features and shorts, including 93 films making their world premiere, from 50 countries.
The festival will open with prominent Hong Kong filmmaker Yuen Woo-ping's "Blades of the Guardian," an action film starring martial arts icon Jet Li.
To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Bifan will launch a new section titled "Asian Genre Films 99," a three-year project mapping the landscape of Asian genre cinema.
A special section will be dedicated to French sci-fi films to mark both the festival's 30th anniversary and the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Korea and France.
Reflecting the emergence of AI technology, Bifan will feature more than 30 films incorporating AI in the international competition and noncompetition sections.
The festival will also incorporate extended reality technology for its "Beyond Reality" section to provide a more immersive experience for visitors, organizers said.
The opening ceremony will take place on Thursday evening, under the theme of coexistence between humanoid robots and mankind.
During the event, the festival will present the fantastic icon award to Hong Kong actor Josie Ho, the global icon award to Chinese actor Fan Bingbing and a lifetime achievement award to French actor Isabelle Huppert, organizers said.
During a press conference last month, actor Chang Mi-hee, the chairperson of the Bifan organizing committee, said that the festival will include "a diverse lineup of works on the largest scale ever […] so that viewers can experience the intrinsic power of cinema and build a deep emotional connection."
Yonhap
