18th Busan International Film Festival

The 18th edition of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) proved itself more important among the film festivals in the East. It took place from October 3rd to October 12th 2013 in the port city of Busan on the south coast of Korea. Though BIFF is not recognized by FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations), they made great progress both in the quality and the quantity of their selections.

The 18th BIFF had a rich program that included:

– Gala Presentation of 6 films from 5 countries
– A Window on Asian Cinema of 54 films from 16 countries
– New Currents of 12 films from 11 countries (including international co-productions)
– Korean Cinema Today of 24 films
– World Cinema of 50films from 28 countries why world-renounced auteurs
– Flash Forward of 32films from 27countries
– Wide Angle of 67 short films and documentaries

Not only were the contemporary films excellent, but so too the retrospective programs. Included were the Korean great director Im Kwon-taek’s retrospective as well as that of the late director Park Chul-Soo’s special commemoration.

The FIPRESCI prize was only for the competitive New Current section And the five members of the jury chose to reward Lee Yong-seung’s 10 Minutes for its remarkably distinguished existential energy. (Chiseko Tanaka)

Busan International Film Festival: www.biff.kr