Im Kwon-taek is one of South Korea's most renowned film directors. In an active and prolific career, his films have won many domestic and international film festival awards, as well as considerable box-office success, and helped bring international attention to the Korean film industry. As of spring 2015, he has directed 102 films.
The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), formerly the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF), held annually in Haeundae-gu, Busan, South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. The first festival, held from 13 to 21 September 1996, was also the first international film festival in Korea.
Udaya Prasanna Vithanage is widely regarded as one of the most talented and influential filmmakers in South Asia. He is known for thought-provoking films that often deals with social, political and cultural issues. His films have received numerous awards accolades, both locally and internationally and have been praised for their innovative storytelling.
The Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) is a worldwide organization of 29 member countries. It was created as the result of a conference on Asian cinema organized by Cinemaya, the Asian Film Quarterly, in New Delhi in 1990 at the instance and with the support of UNESCO, Paris.
Rakhshān Banietemad is an internationally and critically acclaimed Iranian film director and screenwriter who is widely considered a premier female director and her films have been praised at international festivals as well as being popular with Iranian critics and audiences. Her title as "First Lady of Iranian Cinema" is not only a reference to her prominence as a filmmaker, but also connotes her social role of merging politics and family in her work. Her signature style is that she focuses on a character representing a part of society to explore it while staying objectively neutral. The first period of Banietemad's cinematic activity originates from dark humor. Still, in the second period of her work, dark humor gives way to serious and influential films, and deeper and broader issues are addressed. Banietemad has a more realistic view of life.
Reza Mirkarimi is an Iranian screenwriter and film director.
Jiseul (Korean: 지슬) is a 2012 South Korean war drama film written and directed by Jeju Island native O Muel. The film is shot in black and white with the entire cast composed of local actors speaking their natural dialect. "Jiseul" means "potato" in Jeju dialect. O said he picked it as the title of his film because "potatoes are considered a staple food in many countries, often symbolizing survival and hope." Set during the Jeju Uprising on the island in 1948, O said the film does not focus on the large-scale struggle, but on a forgotten true story about a group of villagers who hid in a cave for 60 days to escape from a military attack. They hid underground for months, cold and numb, far too close for comfort—just like the potatoes to which the title refers.
Cinema of Kazakhstan refers to the film industry based in Kazakhstan. Cinema in Kazakhstan can be traced back to the early 20th century. Today, Kazakhstan produces approximately fifteen full-length films each year.
Zhang Lü is a Chinese filmmaker. Zhang was originally a novelist before embarking on a career in cinema. His arthouse films have mostly focused on the disenfranchised, particularly ethnic Koreans living in China; these include Grain in Ear (2006), Desert Dream (2007), Dooman River (2011), Scenery (2013), and Gyeongju (2014).
O Muel is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. He wrote and directed the award-winning film Jiseul in 2012.
The 20th Busan International Film Festival was held from October 1 to October 10, 2015 at South Korea's Busan Cinema Center and was hosted by Song Kang-ho and Marina Golbahari.
Hari Viswanath is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter. He is an Engineer turned Filmmaker from Chennai, India. He was the Jury member of Indian Panorama section of International Film Festival of India 2017, Goa.
Burning Birds is a 2018 Sri Lankan adult drama film written and directed by Sanjeewa Pushpakumara and co-produced by Pushpakumara and Antonin Dedet. It stars Anoma Janadari and Samanalee Fonseka with Mahendra Perera and Shyam Fernando. The music was composed by R. Abaji and Philip David Sheppard. The film was premiered in the main competition of the 21st Busan International Film Festival in 2016.
Immortal (translit. Mamiro) is a 2015 Iranian film directed by Seyed Hadi Mohaghegh. The second feature film by Mohaghegh, it tells the story of an old man who tries to end his life repeatedly from guilt over the loss of his family in a tragic accident. World premiered at the 20th Busan International Film Festival in 2015 and described by the jury Sylvia Chang as "an extraordinary feat of visual storytelling, filled with emotion," it won the top prize for the New Currents competition section, as well as the FIPRESCI award.
Shubhashish Bhutiani is an Indian film director, actor, screenwriter and script writer. He made his directorial debut in Bollywood with the film Mukti Bhawan based on relationships and family. He won National Film Award – Special Mention for directing Mukti Bhawan at 64th National Film Awards.
The 24th Busan International Film Festival was held from October 3 to October 12, 2019 at the Busan Cinema Center in Busan, South Korea. A total of 299 films from 85 countries were screened at the festival, including 118 world premieres and 27 international premieres.
The 26th Busan International Film Festival opened on October 6 at the Busan Cinema Center in Busan, South Korea with South Korean film Heaven: To the Land of Happiness by Im Sang-soo. Park So-dam and Song Joong-ki hosted the opening of the festival, which was streamed live on YouTube.
The 27th Busan International Film Festival was held from October 5 at the Busan Cinema Center in Busan, South Korea till October 14. This year, the festival restarted events and program sections which were not conducted due to COVID-19 for last 2 years. The festival opened with Iranian film Scent of the Wind by director Seyed Hadi Mohaghegh, Jeon Yeo-been with Ryu Jun-yeol were master of ceremonies for the opening ceremony.
Akan Satayev is a Kazakhstani film director, actor, screenwriter and producer. Honored Worker of Kazakhstan and laureate of State Award of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
