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Disappointed With Box Office Trash?

South Korea's year-round film festivals bring the best to you

Todd Kipp (toddkipp)

Despite the current 14-week box office slump, mediocre blockbuster films continue cashing in, only demonstrating the power of advertising, depth of complacency and low expectations in modern film audiences.

Conditioned to accept substandard films slapped together to maximize profits, brainwashed audiences often champion them by default, rather than choice, with little competition or variety available.

Major motion picture companies pump a motherload of cash into distribution and advertising, an option smaller independent films can't compete with, regardless of their often superior quality. If worthwhile films aren't made theatrically available to audiences, where can they find them and how can they support them?

An important stepping stone for inventive alternative films is the film festival circuit, where many careers in the film industry start from the ground up. Securing distribution through good showings at festivals often leads to substantial theatrical releases in various countries. One recent success story you might know, "Napoleon Dynamite", isn't as rare as you might think.

Maverick film director Quentin Tarantino, then unknown, stormed Sundance in 1992 with "Reservoir Dogs", and Cannes in 1994 with "Pulp Fiction". In turn, the Tarantino-lead jury at Cannes in 2004 awarded the remarkable South Korean revenge tale "Oldboy" the Grand Prize of the Jury, proving quality sometimes does get rewarded over hype.

The surge over the last five to 10 years in South Korea's film festivals, therefore, isn't surprising. It parallels the incredible improvements and international success of South Korea's films and film industry.

Over 20 film festivals throughout the country help introduce and promote thousands of domestic and foreign films all year long. Film lovers can find everything from animation to award winners, documentaries to dramas, fantasy to foreign.

Considered the premiere film festival in Asia, the Pusan International Film Festival, (PIFF), celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, (October 6-14).

Every autumn cinephiles swarm the southern seaside city of Busan to survey competition entries, special presentations and award-winning films from other international festivals, otherwise unavailable.

2003 saw the reopening of the awe-inspiring 5,000 seat outdoor theater located near Haeundae Beach. In a romantic nighttime scene reminiscent of "Cinema Paradiso", boats bobbed up and down in the sea just beyond the giant drive-in-size screen. The opening and closing ceremonies are once again held here due to enormous public demand for tickets in recent years as the festival continues to grow.

Only a bullet train away from Seoul, Nampo-dong's electric atmosphere alone is worth the journey. The theater district boasts half a dozen theaters, outdoor booths and displays, and the rare chance to star gaze.

Stars do come out in force, often contractually, to promote their latest films at the larger festivals such as Cannes, Venice, Toronto, Sundance and Berlin. The film's producers are there to lock down further international distribution, and the stars are there to bring in the crowds and generate press.

Over the years, Jeremy Irons, Wim Wenders, Wong Kar Wai, Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung, Virginie Ledoyen and many others brought a little sparkle and excitement to PIFF, making the party that much more memorable.

After enjoying the closing ceremony of the festival myself in 2000, an accompanying friend immediately flew back to Seoul the next morning. On The Way Home he called me from the taxi, saddened about leaving the party too soon. Simultaneously, while lying in the hotel room waiting to leave later in the day, I felt sad about staying at the party too long.

The two sides of the story highlight the fact that the festival is an all-around good time and it is bittersweet when it wraps each year. (Incidentally though, Wong Kar Wai, Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung all caught the same flight with my companion back to Seoul, so it couldn't have been that bad!)

Since most films shown theatrically in Korea don't include English subtitles, foreigners shouldn't miss the opportunity to experience new international and domestic releases subtitled on the big screen at most festivals.


9th Annual Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival, July 14-23, 2005
Along with PIFF, major festivals include the Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF), the Gwangju International Film Festival (GIFF), and the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival (PIFAN).

Other festivals range from the Seoul Independent Film Festival (SIFF), to the Asiana International Short Film Festival (AISFF), and the Seoul Queer Film and Video Festival.

Next time you're in the mood for a night at the cinema, but you're tired of all the sequels, prequels, remakes and predictable trash, watch out for an upcoming film festival.

Whatever your taste desires, you'll come away satisfied, while supporting tomorrow's groundbreaking filmmakers on their way to the top.

More information on South Korean films and South Korean film festivals can be found at http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr

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