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Busan International Film Festival 2013: Torch-bearer for Asian films!

By InCinemas / 14 Oct 2013 (Monday)

What happened at Busan International Film Festival 2013? Here's what our writer, Jeremy Lim has to say about this unforgettable experience!

There are so many amazing films being made every year in all corners of Asia, from Kazakhstan to Bhutan and Iran, so it is a pity that many of these movies never made it to our local cinemas.

Earlier this month, however, I had a rare chance to watch Asian films to my heart’s content at the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), Asia’s most outstanding film festival. Not to mention stargazing at Korea’s hottest acting talents such as Cold Eyes stars Han Hyo-Joo and Jung Woo Sung!

(Read more about Jeremy's 'stargazing' experience here!)

We are so used to swallowing the usual dose of Hollywood-style blockbusters at our local cinemas, it can be quite a surprise to experience the true variety that Asian film has to offer. For example, the festival’s opener was a film about a village lost in time in rural India, directed by a reincarnated Buddhist lama.

(Read our review of Vara: A Blessing here!)

From there, the BIFF took me on a roller-coaster ride around our continent. I drooled at the sight of Taiwan’s traditional culinary delights in Zone Pro Site: The Moveable Feast before being whisked away to the grasslands of Kazakhstan in the animated folk tale Er Tostik and the Dragon.

(Read our coverage of Zone Pro Site: The Moveable Feast SG promo tour!)

Run Milkha Run chronicled the incredible adventures of India’s real-life ‘Flying Sikh’ while Steel Cold Winter was a chilling romance set in South Korea’s remote countryside and peppered with colourful dialect. By the end of the week I had seen 13 films – barely scratching the surface of the festival’s mind-boggling 300 films from 7 countries.

From the press conference to the ticket queues and late-night outdoor screenings, Busan Film Fest was a well-organised event with excellent facilities. It was supported by a cheerful army of volunteers who dished out help in every language, cleared the trash and helped me find a service centre when my handphone broke down.

Asian film is growing at a phenomenal rate, and so will the Busan International Film Festival. I look forward to an even more exciting selection of films next year!

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Busan International Film Festival 2013: Torch-bearer for Asian films!