BIFAN set to open for 11-day run with record 321 films

Song Seung-whan, right, the chief director of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival's (BIFAN), speaks during a press conference at the Seoul Garden Hotel, June 9. Yonhap

The Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), Korea's largest genre film fest, will kick off its 11-day run Thursday with a record 321 films, organizers said.

BIFAN, which marks its 30th anniversary this year, will take place in venues across Bucheon, west of Seoul, through July 12, according to the organizers.

Under the slogan "New era, new skin," this year's event will showcase features and shorts from 50 countries, including 93 films that will make their world premiere.

Opening the film fest will be prominent Hong Kong filmmaker Yuen Woo-ping's "Blades of the Guardian," an action film starring martial arts icon Jet Li.

To celebrate its 30th anniversary, the film fest will launch a new section called "Asian Genre Films 99," a three-year project to map the landscape of Asian genre cinema.

A special section will be dedicated to French sci-fi films to mark both the film fest's 30th anniversary and the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Korea and France this year.

Reflecting the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the film fest will feature more than 30 films incorporating AI technology in both the international competition and non-competition sections.

The film fest will also incorporate extended reality technology for the "Beyond Reality" section to provide a more immersive experience for visitors, organizers said.

The opening ceremony will take place Thursday evening under the theme of co-existence between humanoid robots and mankind.

During the event, the festival will present the fantastic icon award to Hong Kong actress Josie Ho, the global icon award to Chinese actress Fan Bingbing and a lifetime achievement award to French actress Isabelle Huppert, organizers said.

In a press conference held last month, actress Chang Mi-hee, chairperson of the BIFAN organizing committee, said the festival will include "a diverse lineup of works on the largest scale ever ... so that viewers can experience the intrinsic power of cinema and build a deep emotional connection."