The Busan International Film Festival is currently underway in the city of Busan. The festival, which ends on Oct. 11, opened with a ceremony led by Korean actress Moon So Ri, who can be seen in "Oasis," and Oscar nominee Ken Watanabe.
Korean celebrities attending the event include actors Jung Woo Sung, Park Hae Il, Kim Nam Gil, Gu Hye Sun and Uhm Jung Hwa.
Actors Yoo Ji Tae and Kim Hee Ae will judge the Actor and Actress of the Year Award.
Bong Joon Ho, who directed the internationally acclaimed film "Snowpiercer" will serve as a jury member on the festival panel.
Chinese actress Tang Wei who married Korean director Kim Tae Yong will also be present to represent her film "The Golden Era."
But despite the attendance of international celebrities the red carpet photos may not be as exciting this year. According to the Korea Times, the female stars were asked to dress modestly. Festival administrators wanted to shift attention away from the revealing outfits female celebrities sometimes wear at film festivals and instead focus on the accomplishments of the directors, actors and actresses being honored.
Korean films selected for the New Currents and Korean Film Today sections of the festival include "We Will Be Okay," "A Matter of Interpretation," "End of Winter," "Entangled," "Gifted," "Shadow Island," "Social Phobia," "So Very Very," "The Liar," "Set Me Free" and "A Midsummer's Fantasia."
Gu Hye Sun's film "The Daughter" will also be shown.
The festival is not without controversy this year as the film selection includes a documentary that deals with the April sinking of the Sewol ferry. Over 300 passengers died in the ferry accident. Most of those who died were students. The film raises questions about the failed efforts to rescue victims.
Victims' families have asked the festival committee to stop the screening of the documentary "The Truth Shall Not Sink With Sewol," which was directed by Lee Sang Ho and Ahn Hae Ryong. They said that screening the documentary will only add to the suffering of the families involved. The mayor of Busan also asked the screening to be canceled due to the sensitive nature of the subject matter. But festival administrators say that a screening has never been canceled in the festival's history and they will not make an exception for the documentary. "The Turth Will Not Sink With Sewol" will be aired as planned on Oct. 6 and 10.
For more information on the Busan International Film Festival, visit visit www.biff.kr.
