The Busan International Film Festival’s Asian Project Market (APM) revealed its 30 official project selections for 2013. Many of the films that were brought to life at Busan’s APM have gone on to achieve significant international success. Among the many films that have participated is BONG Joon-ho’s Snowpiercer, which is currently proving lucrative on the Korean box office charts after accruing over eight million admissions. The blockbuster is currently awaiting international release.

 

A number of high profile Korean projects will take part in this year’s APM. Among them are new works from Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) veterans such as Jin Roh: The Wolf Brigade, KIM Jee-woon’s new Korean project following his Hollywood foray The Last Stand. Acclaimed director KIM is seeking to adapt OKIURA Hiroyuki's popular Japanese sci-fi animation of the same title, which is written by OSHII Mamoru from Ghost in the Shell, into a live action film. YEUN Sang-ho, whose debut The Kings of Pigs (2011) won multiple awards at BIFF in 2011 and whose new film The Fake took part in last year’s APM and is set to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival next month, is back with another animation entitled Seoul Station. YOO Ji-tae, another filmmaker from last year’s BIFF with his debut Mai Ratima, will be at APM with his project The Kochebi. O Muel, who picked up four awards at last year’s edition of BIFF with Jiseul before going on to scoop up the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, will be back with The Sea of Recalls the Soul After Death.

 

Additionally, KANG Yi-kwan, whose film Juvenile Offender recently won awards at the Tokyo and Cinemanila International Film Festivals, will take part with OTS Virus Project, based on an original work by Korean novelist LEE Ji-min. A Brand New Life (2009) director Ounie LECOMTE is preparing Thousand Weeds, another co-production, this time with Japan. Other co-productions include the Chinese-Korean Have a Nice Trip! from LEE Seo and Jannat, a Korea-U.A.E-Canada co-production to be helmed by Maryam NAJAFI. ZHANG Lu will also be at APM with his new project Gyeongju.

 

Outside of Korean films, the Australian remake of JO Sung-hee’s End of Animal, to be directed by Eron Sheean, is another of this year’s APM projects. This year’s APM will take place over October 7-10 while BIFF will kick off on October 3rd and run until the 12th.