Pusan Promotion Plan selects 30 projects

The Pusan International Film Festival has announced the official selection of film projects for the Pusan Promotion Plan (PPP) 2009. Out of approximately 200 submissions, 30 finalists were

selected for PPP 2009.

Among the projects selected are those of celebrated directors such as Bong Jun-ho, Hur Jin-ho, Lee Myung-se, Shinji Aoyama, and Pang Ho Cheung. Other noted directors revealing new projects at the PPP 2009 are Turkey’s Yesim Ustaoglu, well known for Pandora’s Box, Kazakhstan’s Bakhtiar Khoudojnazarov, the director of Luna Papa, India’s Nalin Pan, who came into global limelight with his debut feature Samsara, and Thai’s Ekachai Uekrongtham, who directed The Coffin.

Also included are young filmmakers emerging at various film festivals, such as Indonesia’s Edwin, Malaysian Tan Chui Mui, Singapore’s Ho Tzu Nyen, and Korea’s Roh Gyeong-tae. The PPP has now positioned itself as the largest project market in Asia and as an important catalyst for Asian Auteur Films.

Launched in 1998 during the 3rd Pusan International Film Festival, the PPP has introduced talented Asian filmmakers and offered wide opportunities for investment and co-production by global film industry professionals. Throughout its history, the PPP has grown into the optimum opportunity for major Asian directors to present new projects.

Since 2006, the PPP opened its doors to non-Asian projects, and this year there were submissions from the USA, France, Germany, and Egypt, with international co-production projects given more prominence. PPP projects have attracted global interest at various film festivals after completion such as A Brand New Life by Ounie Lecomte, which was invited to the Cannes International Film Festival 2009.

The 12th Pusan Promotion Plan will run from 11-14 October 2009. This year it will be held at the Seacloud Hotel at Haeundae Beach, sharing the venue with the Asian Film Market as a convenient one-stop for film business professionals.

Korean cinema

The competition this year for Korean films at the PPP was the toughest ever, due to the many quality projects. The film Le Transperceneige, produced by Park Chan-wook and Bong Jun-ho, is set to premier on the international stage at Pusan. Bong captivated Cannes with his recent film Mother, and Le Transperceneige, based on a French comic, is expected to generate strong interest from the international film industry.

Lee Myung-se’s Youth is Reckless, a story of the legendary Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, is a relook at martial arts following Duelist. Hur Jin-ho’s Season of Good Rain, a Chinese collaboration, opens in local theatres this fall, and also included is the introduction of his new feature film project at the PPP.

Son Jae-gon who garnered attention with My Scary Girl will make a comeback with a very unique comedy Villain and Widow. The next project of Han Jae-rim (Rules of Dating, The Show Must Go On) is also greatly anticipated; Trace will be the first of a kind in Korean cinematography in the portrayal of the supernatural. Roh

Gyeong-tae, the winner of the 2009 PIFF New Currents Award with Land of Scarecrows, describes his new project as “the finale to my Environmental Crisis Trilogy”.

Aside from Korea’s standalone projects at the PPP, several co-productions and projects produced out of the directors’ country of origin to look forward to. Jeong Jae-eun, director of Take Care of My Cat will introduce her new project with a Japanese producer, and native Yanbian Jin Guang-hao, winner of the 2007 PIFF New Currents Award, has collaborated with Korean Ko Young-jae, producer of Old Partner.

Jeon Soo-il (With the Girl of Black Soil) and Ounie Lecomte (A Brand New Life) will join Singapore’s Eric Khoo in producing an omnibus film that will expand the spectrum of Korean films.

Celebrated Asian directors gather in Pusan

Many high-profile Asian directors will be introducing their latest projects at PPP. This year some of the most renowned directors will pitch new films at the PPP. Japan’s Shinji Aoyama, who startled the world with Tadanobu Asano’s debut film Helpless and was showered with critical appraisal for Eureka at Cannes 2000, will return to Pusan.

His Sad Vacation (announced at the 2006 PPP) was invited to the Venice International Film Festival 2008 competition section. Pang Ho Cheung, winner of the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival 2006 with Isabella, will be presenting Great Love, a story of a nurse offering sexual services to her patients. Pang is also recognised as one of Hong Kong’s emerging young directors and his new project is expected to stir controversy.

Taiwan’s Chang Tso Chi revisits Pusan after completing the PPP 2008 project How Are You, Dad?. Thailand’s Ekachai Uekrongtham, director of The Coffin, will reveal his new project at this year’s PPP.

Winner of the Grand Prix at the Nantes Festival des three Continents, Luna Papa’s Bakhtiar Khoudojnazarov, and Nalin Pan, who has garnered international fame with Samsara are also top listed names at the PPP 2009. Omnibus film Midnight to Four AM will also be presented and will include noted directors such as Singapore’s Eric Khoo.

Powerhouse of new talent

The PPP has always introduced talented young Asian filmmakers and this year is no exception. Roya Sadat, a fellow member of the Asian Film Academy (AFA), is known as Afghanistan’s first serial drama producer. Other examples are: China’s Ma Liwen who is the winner of the Golden Rooster Awards’ Best Director Award; Yang Jin who enjoyed critical acclaim for Er Dong; Indonesia’s Edwin who was invited to the competition section of the International Film Festival Rotterdam with Blind Pig Who Wants to Fly; Yeo Joon Han who made a strong impression with his debut feature film at the Venice International Film Festival; Tan Chui Mui who swept the awards at the Pusan International Film Festival (New Currents Award) and the International Film Festival Rotterdam (Tiger Award); Singaporean Ho Tzu Nyen who was selected for the Film Directors’ Conference at the Cannes International Film Festival.

Beyond Asia

The PPP began receiving project proposals from outside Asia since 2006. This year’s projects were submitted from various areas including the United States, France, Germany, Egypt, Russia and Turkey. The newest film by Turkish director Yesim Ustaoglu has also been officially selected. Her last movie Pandora’s Box won Best Film and Best Actress awards at the San Sebastián International Film Festival 2008.

Tajikistan director Bakhtiar Khoudojnazarov’s latest film is a co-production with Belgium, France, Germany, and Russia. This film is the first genuine European project to be introduced at the PPP without considering the director’s nationality.

A Turkish director was chosen to take the helm of The Silver Gate which is co-produced by France and Germany. Germany’s Pandora Film, which collaborated in the making of Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring by Kim Ki-duk, has commenced production. In addition, the omnibus film Midnight to Four AM is a co-production between Canada, Singapore and Korea.

Co-production market

Blockbuster projects including Le Transperceneige directed by Bong Jun-ho, Youth is Reckless by Lee Myung-se and Trace by Han Jae-rim are to be showcased at the PPP, illustrating the successful track record of the PPP as a co-production market. The PPP seeks to facilitate film co-production among the participants as well as to promote art and auteur films.

The inclusion of a number of films already in the process of

co-production clearly demonstrates the rising reputation of the PPP, and establishes the Pusan International Film Festival as

the hub of the Asian film industry.

PPP 2009 Project List • Berlin-Tashkent-Transit / Estonia, Uzbekistan / Ayub Shakhobiddinov • Between the Suns / China, Hong Kong / Kit Hui • Black Stones / Korea / Roh Gyeong-tae • A Butterfly’s House / China, Korea / Jin Guang-hao • Decadent Sisters / Japan / Shinji Aoyama • Endless Day / Singapore / Ho Tzu Nyen • Enemies / Thailand / Ekachai Uekrongtham • The Family Photograph / Malaysia / Yeo Joon Han • GF&BF / Taiwan / Yang Ya Che • Gray / Iran / Mohamad Ahmadi • Great Love / China / Pang Ho Cheung • Happyland / Philippines / Jim Diamond Libiran • In Dreams (working title) / Korea / Hur Jin-ho • Limbo / Turkey / Yesim Ustaoglu • Love Without Pain / China / Ma Liwen • Midnight to Four AM (working title) / Canada, Korea, Singapore / Jeon Soo-il, Eric Khoo, Yung Chang, Ounie Lecomte, Lee Mi-Jeong • Missing / China / Wang Shiqing • New Policemen Stories / China / Yang Jin • O.D.V. (Opposite Domestic Violence) / Japan / Jeong Jae-eun • Postcards from the Zoo / Indonesia / Edwin • The Silver Gate / France, Germany / Nuray Sahin • Slightly Sane / India / Nalin Pan • Trace / Korea / Han Jae-rim • Le Transperceneige / Korea / Bong Jun-ho • Villain and Widow / Korea / Son Jae-gon • Waiting for the Sea / Belgium, France, Germany, Russia / Bakhtiar Khoudojnazarov • Warm Bread & the Nipple’s Circle / Afghanistan / Roya Sadat • While Love is Coming / Taiwan / Chang Tso Chi • The Year Without A Summer / Malaysia / Tan Chui Mui • Youth is Reckless / Korea / Lee Myung-se