Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) returns for its 30th anniversary to welcome filmmakers and film lovers, packed with changes and surprises, from the addition of the competition section to a notably high-profile slate of guests. BIFF’s newly appointed festival director, formerly the festival’s programmer, Mr. Jung Hanseok, shares his thoughts with The Film Verdict’s Cho Hyo-jin on the festival’s pivot, his favorite picks, the crisis of Korean cinema, the role of BIFF and more.
What was the biggest interest of yours regarding the 30th anniversary edition?
“Change and reform in every possible way.” I believe we’ve vastly improved both the programs and the festival operation despite the short period of time, which is reflected in the positive feedback and anticipations we garnered after revealing the titles and guest lineup. I saw this comment on our programs on social media: “BIFF, is this your grand finale? You are not coming back next year?” It was the greatest compliment because we poured that much of our effort into this edition. But we are planning to return next year, and the year after, treating each edition as our last. My years as a programmer taught me the ins and outs of the festival, which really helped our team make this happen in such short time.
BIFF is having a September festival this year, the first since 1998. Was it more challenging for you to prepare this edition?
My term as the festival director started in March, essentially leaving me with only 6 months for preparation. Naturally it has been frantic like never before. But we were never overwhelmed. Everything stayed under control and the process has been exciting as always. While this year, the National Sports Festival and Chuseok left us with no choice, from next year on, I think we should go back to hosting in early October.
BIFF is introducing a new section, Competition, while New Currents, formerly regarded as BIFF’s most highlighted section, is now merged with Korean Cinema Today – Vision into a new section called Vision. What are the thoughts behind this change?
We questioned the effectiveness of running New Currents (films by first and second-time filmmakers) and Jiseok (films by filmmakers with more than three titles) separately. Rather than dividing newcomers and established/master directors, we decided to give a bigger, unified platform where their works can interact.
My experience as the Korean cinema programmer informed the decision as well. For example, the 2022 New Currents Winner A WILD ROOMER by Lee Jeong-hong was widely praised by Korean critics and key domestic media but enjoyed far less international attention than it deserved. Had we introduced it with certain leverage such as “the Competition winner,” the outcome might have been different. The new section provides a system where we could maximize our capability of introducing a new talent. Asian and Korean filmmakers can benefit from the expanded influence, even with titles that have already premiered elsewhere, and in turn, it could also encourage global filmmakers to be more interested in Asian cinema and motivated to visit Busan.
Meanwhile, Vision – Asia and Vision – Korea are designed to give more space for the important works that are not included in Competition.
The choice for the opening film, NO OTHER CHOICE, raised a lot of buzz. What considerations went under the process?
Inviting NO OTHER CHOICE as our opening film is the fruit of the finest collaborative work between BIFF, the production company Moho Film, and the distributor CJ Entertainment. We agreed that this film deserves to be appreciated by as many audiences as possible at the opening ceremony for its remarkable achievement in both the artistic quality and the public appeal, which is what Korean cinema has always strived for.
Were there any films that particularly stood out and you wish more people could see? Also, what program are you the proudest of?
I would like to highlight two films that will have their world premieres at BIFF: LEAVE THE CAT ALONE by Shigaya Daisuke and GLOAMING IN LUOMU by Zhang Lu. The former displays the delicate sensibility that can often be found in the recent Japanese New Wave films. I think we should all remember Shigaya’s name as well as the fact that his first steps were taken at BIFF Competition. Zhang Lu’s name is already that of a master and it makes me burst with joy that his latest will be shown to the world for the first time in Busan. The sense of sudden awakening amid conversations and landscapes gives the film a miraculous charm. I’m also very proud of what we have prepared for Special Program in Focus, Master Class and Cine Class. The reason will be evident when you see the guest lineups.
This year, Asia Content & Film Market (ACFM) introduces a new program, InnoAsia, to host panels and workshops and seek new possibilities of cutting-edge technology including AI. With debates in the film industry around the use of generative AI, what’s your view on AI’s influence on filmmaking?
Personally, I share Bong Joon-ho’s sentiment: “I want to make a film that AI would never be able to.” As a traditional cinephile, I am quite doubtful about the value of AI filmmaking. Some say its strength lies in the convenience, but humanity has always created greatness even when things were never convenient. Perhaps that’s the 20th-century film lover in me speaking. That’s why, as the festival director, I try to stay open-minded and learn more. In that regard, I am curious to see what these discussions and explorations we try at ACFM will bring.
At the press conference, “the crisis in Korean cinema” was one of the most uttered phrases. What does BIFF think is the biggest crisis in Korean cinema, and what role should it play to help?
The crisis is very clear: the number of audiences going to the cinema is at an all-time low. There may be a lot of great opinions on why, but I can only comment on what a film festival can do. A film festival provides a chance for “an event” in which a cinematic experience is maximized. The physicality and community we experience at a cinema is best reached at festivals. I hope BIFF could inspire our visitors to return to the cinema more often after the festival ends.
What do you think is the unique appeal or role that BIFF has, in comparison to other international film festivals?
Of all film festivals in the world, BIFF is the only one that hosts a competition section exclusively for Asian films as its main program. This alone defines our distinctive appeal and speaks to our role. In Busan, filmmakers and film professionals will have a ground to share their work in this unique context while film lovers will have a new window for such beautiful slate of works.
What is the path you envision for the next 30 years of BIFF? What would the 60th anniversary look like?
Looking back on the 30th anniversary after 30 more years later, I hope it will be remembered as the year of meaningful changes. But these are just phrases. As I have said earlier, we will be just doing it every year like it’s our last.
–Interview by Cho Hyo-jin
