Busan 2011

307 films, 70 countries, 86 world and 45 international premiers, 11 programs: this is the summary of the 16th edition of Busan IFF, according to the short report of the program director of VIFF, just back from Busan.

“Taking a train from Seoul to Busan feels like traveling through Primorsky region, from Vladivostok to Partizansk or Nakhodka, for example. The beauty outside the window so much resembles our local amenities – same small mountains, rivers, bridges.

The “being at home” feeling is projected on the Film Festival itself, one of the most prestigious and important cultural sites in Asian-Pacific region.

Filmmakers all over the world consider BIFF the so-called “bottom line” of the festival circuit, the last big event of the year. When Berlinale is considered the “opener”, well, we can deduce the logic.

Admittedly, Busan dates are advantageous in very deed (the festival does not cross dates with any of the “Grands”), it seems to be a well-thought-out PR move of one of the most talented marketing managers in Asia – Mr. Kim Dong-ho – the irreplaceable director of BIFF, who retired last year after the 15 years of direction.

Besides outstanding programming, the thing to mention is the opening of the incredible (both by size and content) Busan film center, boggling the minds of residents and tourists.

Having been built within one year (!), it, of course, has some incompleteness, and though at one moment you find yourself surrounded by the barrage construction, obviously, next year the center will become the whole complete piece of art.

From a distance it resembles a fantastic island, appeared somewhere it was not supposed to, “washed” by the concrete “waves”, as if having been caught unaware by the architects and designers. Being almost transparent, it opens the breathtaking view of the “island`s” foot and top, surrounded by the open terrace (holding 5-6 thousands audience) with three screens and stage – you can watch, you can listen to music.

It is the most convenient meeting point with the numerous pavilions, booths, cabs, where one can buy Festival souvenirs, taste Korean food, or even open a Busan Bank account. During the whole Festival period this grand square was enriched with the unique atmosphere full of life and energy – thousands of people getting together here every day. 

The grateful Busan audience is so much into films that even the accredited guests could not get a single ticket to the screenings of “Faust” by Sokurov or “The Lady” by Besson. The latter, by the way, held a signing ceremony, and warmly offered his strong hand shake to each fan of his. Saying nothing of “Kotoko” by Shinya Tsukamoto, the tickets of such were sold out weeks before the screening.

Along with Luc Besson the other French star Ms. Isabelle Huppert paid a visit to BIFF, so did the hongkongese actress Michelle Yeoh and director Tsui Hark, who was appraised with the prestigious “Filmmaker of the year” award.

As for the movies: there were two masterpieces that have blown me away – and I do hope we`ll screen them both in Vladivostok. First of all, the premier of Johnnie To`s “Life without a principle”. It is a breathtaking criminal comedy on world financial crisis, involving “ordinary” hongkongese gangsters and anything but ordinary bank servants.  Shot in a very slight and elegant manner, it is a fascinating movie, magnetizing and pulling in the audience for hours and hours.

The second film is a Canadian psychodrama “Nuit 1” by Anne Emond – essentially the theatric benefit performance of two actors, placed into a common situation of the chance encounter in the night club. They were meant to part forever having taken the enjoyment in each other, but it worked out vice-versa. The film makes you the evidence of two confessions, the portraits of modern man and woman, where the woman`s portrait appears to be more honest and straight.

BIFF workshops were given by French actress Isabelle Huppert, Japanese director Koreeda Hirokazu, Luc Besson and representative from Hong Kong Yong Fang. Unfortunately, we physically could not get to attend all of those, as well as to watch all the movies and meet all the friends. 

Leaving Busan, I thought of grandness and closedness, traveled through the shots of movies i`d seen, feeling no sorry for having not shaken hands with Luc Besson, when I had a chance to. Since I`m pretty sure, next year I`ll have this handshake done in Vladivostok at the IFF “Pacific Meridian” 2012. “