Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) is set to celebrate its 10th anniversary this March with a record 32 selections, including three from South Korea. These are director JEON Soo-il’s <Another Country>, KIM Baek-jun’s <Monsters> and LEE Hae-jun’s <My Dictator>. The festival chose these from more than 200 submissions from over 45 countries and regions.The final selection represents 20 different territories including Australia, China, India, Japan, and Malaysia.
Award-winning independent film director Jeon Soo-il’s<Another Country> is being produced by Michelle SON, with Dongnyuk Film listed as the project’s production company. Jeon’s previous work, includes <With a Girl of Black Soil>, which went to the Venice International Film Festival in 2007, and <I Came From Busan>, which was in the Donostia San Sebastian International Film Festival in 2009.
Director Kim Baek-jun’s<Monsters> is being produced by KIL Young-min with JK Film (<Haeundae>, <Sector 7>) listed as production company. Kim’s previous work includes <Farewell>, which premiered at the Cinema Digital Seoul Film Festival (CinDi) last year, and <My Dear Diary>, which he co-directed with JUNG Seong-wook and premiered at the Jeonju International Film Festival in 2008.
Director Lee Hae-jun’s<My Dictator> is being produced by KIM Moo-ryoung with banzakbanzak FilmProduction. Lee wrote and directed <Castaway on the Moon>, which went to several film festivals including the Toronto International Film Festival in 2009. His debut feature <Like a Virgin>, co-directed with LEE Hae-young in 2007, was also invited to several festivals including Berlin.
Other projects in the HAF 2012 line-up include <Ready for War>, directed by China’s GU Changwei, who won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2005 Berlin Film Festival with his debut feature <Peacock>; <Lost in Poetry> from veteran Icelandic director Fridrik Thor FRIDRIKSSON, whose <Children of Nature> was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 1992 Academy Awards.
Previous HAF participants from South Korea includePARK Chan-wook, KIM Jee-woon, BONGJoon-ho and IM Sang-soo. HAF will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre March 19 – 21, 2012.
Jan. 6, 2011