01/10/2009

South Korea's 14th Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF, October 8-16) is hosting a record number of European films: 104 from a total 355 titles programmed. The festival has also created the new Flash Forward Award, for first- and second-time non-Asian directors.

A delegation of 26 European directors and actors from 15 different countries will travel to Pusan to present their films, many of which have won acclaim at other major international events and/or are representing their countries in the Oscar nomination race.

Directors include: Mira Fornay (Foxes [+see also:
film review
film profile]), Bobby Paunescu (Francesca [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Yorgos Lanthimos
film profile]), Jessica Hausner (Lourdes [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jessica Hausner
film profile]), Jean van de Velde (The Silent Army [+see also:
film review
film profile]), Martin Koolhoven, (Winter in Wartime [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), Andreas Struck (Sleeping Songs [+see also:
film review
film profile]), and Fridrik Thor Fridriksson (The Sunshine Boy).

The eight European films vying for the Flash Forward Award include Zaida Bergroth’s Last Cowboy Standing [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Pawel Borowski’s Zero, Ferran Audí’s The Frost and Susanna Nicchiarelli’s Cosmonauta [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile].

Renowned directors Costa Gavras and Jean-Jacques Beineix as well as actress Tilda Swinton are among the festival's celebrities this year.

Given the increasing interest of South Korean audiences and industry professionals in European cinema, European Film Promotion (EFP) will make Film Sales Support (FSS) available for the first time for the marketing of European films at the Asian Film Market (October 11-14), through its umbrella office.

A list of the production and sales companies and the selected films being supported by FSS at PIFF 2009 will be announced on October 5.