Top actor considered for BIFF chairman

Amid tensions between the Busan Metropolitan Government (BMG) and the Busan International Film Festival’s (BIFF) organizing committee, the city is mulling over scouting veteran actor Ahn Sung-ki as the new chairman to head the film festival.

The BMG is contacting Ahn, who is currently the assistant executive director of the festival's organizing committee, as he is one of the representative figures in the film industry here as well as a person who has a long close relationship with the film festival. The city government believes Ahn can smoothly resolve the ongoing conflict between the two organizations.

The BMG is hoping he will take up the chairman position of the BIFF committee and that Kim Dong-ho, the founder of BIFF, will continue as honorary festival director. It expects the two to work hand in hand to settle the dispute as they are well reputed film industry heavyweights.

The appointment of Ahn will not be easy, however, as he is reluctant to accept the position, and had for long refused to take up even the executive director position he was offered years ago.

The dispute between the city and festival organizers dates back to 2014 when the city tried to suspend the screening of a documentary depicting the Sewol ferry disaster, "The Truth Shall Not Sink with Sewol," during the film festival that year.

After former executive director of BIFF Lee Yong-kwan stepped down amid allegations of fraud by the BMG, the festival's organizing committee demanded that the current system of the Busan mayor being appointed the BIFF chairman be revised to an electoral system. The city refused, claiming that the BMG holds the right to appoint the chairman.