TagBucheon International Fantastic Film Festival
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Film FestivalsNews
The following information is Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival’s official press announcement. The 25th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN, Festival Director: SHIN Chul) unveiled this year’s official posters on the 27th. The six posters make up the “cake series” that celebrates BIFAN’s 25th birthday, and they reflect this year’s slogan: “Stay Strange.” The mix of cuteness and bizarreness depict a sense of disharmony within harmony. The posters also act as an invitation welcoming everyone to come eat and be merry at the feast that has been prepared by BIFAN for its 25th anniversary. The “Stay Strange” slogan is an expression of BIFAN’s determination to show keen support for unconventional genre film talents that have turned away from the mainstream. The slogan implies that, although their stories might be unfamiliar and strange to some, if these stories are nurtured, the talents behind them can eventually meet BIFAN and blossom. “Stay Strange” also captures the hope and comfort being offered to
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DocumentariesFilm FestivalsMoviesReviews
Although in the documentary Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on the Exorcist Friedkin is the only on-camera subject interviewed, the film is riveting stuff throughout its 104-minute running time. The director gives a master class on filmmaking while providing a behind-the-scenes account of what is inarguably one of the greatest horror films ever made. Director Alexandre O. Philippe (who helmed the incredible and highly recommended 78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene) conducts a sit-down interview with Friedkin, who plainly and boldly speaks about the singular mindset he had for The Exorcist, from marking up a hardback copy of William Peter Blatty’s source novel so he could convey exactly what he wanted for the film, through the arduous process of getting the film rolling on production, to anecdotes about how he got the actors to give the terrific performances they did in certain scenes, to the film’s enduring legacy. It’s interesting to also hear who and what didn’t appear in the film, including
Continue reading →
Film Festivals
South Korea’s Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) — Asia’s largest genre film fest — will take what it calls a hybrid approach for its July 9–16 run. Because of COVID-19 concerns, the fest will screen 174 features and short films from 42 countries on cinema screens, and offer 69 of those movies on a Korean online platform. According to the fest’s official website, “BIFAN 2020 would like to present the blueprint for future film festivals: a ‘hybrid’ film festival that keeps pace with the changing media environment, a festival that effectively combines offline and online events . . . Overseas directors who cannot travel to Korea will be meeting audiences by introducing their films and giving talks online.” As always, BIFAN is offering a treasure trove of intriguing horror films. Here are five that I am looking forward to watching at the fest, with program notes from the official BIFAN site. Amulet Tomaz is a homeless man in London
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Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviews
Special guest coauthor: Chris Weatherspoon The 23rd Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), the largest genre film fest in both its home of South Korea and of Asia as well, took place about a month earlier than its preceding editions (running June 27–July 7 this year) and delivered one of its strongest lineups in recent memory. BIFAN boasted horror, thriller, action, and other genre films of all stripes from around the world. Following are our thoughts on five of the fest’s offerings. Chris Weatherspoon: Irish horror-comedy Extra Ordinary is the feature debut for writing/directing team Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman. Comedian Maeve Higgins (Inside Amy Schumer) stars as Rose Dooley, a bumbling spinster who earns her living as a driving instructor; however, Rose is far from being an ordinary, lonely middle-aged woman, as the movie’s title notes. Rose has the ability to communicate with the dead and to exorcise ghosts, but a childhood incident has left her traumatized, and for
Continue reading →
More from Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival
Film FestivalsNews
The following information is Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival’s official press announcement. The 25th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN, Festival Director: SHIN Chul) unveiled this year’s official posters on the 27th. The six posters make up the “cake series” that celebrates BIFAN’s 25th birthday, and they reflect this year’s slogan: “Stay Strange.” The mix of cuteness and bizarreness depict a sense of disharmony within harmony. The posters also act as an invitation welcoming everyone to come eat and be merry at the feast that has been prepared by BIFAN for its 25th anniversary. The “Stay Strange” slogan is an expression of BIFAN’s determination to show keen support for unconventional genre film talents that have turned away from the mainstream. The slogan implies that, although their stories might be unfamiliar and strange to some, if these stories are nurtured, the talents behind them can eventually meet BIFAN and blossom. “Stay Strange” also captures the hope and comfort being offered to
Continue reading →
DocumentariesFilm FestivalsMoviesReviews
Although in the documentary Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on the Exorcist Friedkin is the only on-camera subject interviewed, the film is riveting stuff throughout its 104-minute running time. The director gives a master class on filmmaking while providing a behind-the-scenes account of what is inarguably one of the greatest horror films ever made. Director Alexandre O. Philippe (who helmed the incredible and highly recommended 78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene) conducts a sit-down interview with Friedkin, who plainly and boldly speaks about the singular mindset he had for The Exorcist, from marking up a hardback copy of William Peter Blatty’s source novel so he could convey exactly what he wanted for the film, through the arduous process of getting the film rolling on production, to anecdotes about how he got the actors to give the terrific performances they did in certain scenes, to the film’s enduring legacy. It’s interesting to also hear who and what didn’t appear in the film, including
Continue reading →
Film Festivals
South Korea’s Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) — Asia’s largest genre film fest — will take what it calls a hybrid approach for its July 9–16 run. Because of COVID-19 concerns, the fest will screen 174 features and short films from 42 countries on cinema screens, and offer 69 of those movies on a Korean online platform. According to the fest’s official website, “BIFAN 2020 would like to present the blueprint for future film festivals: a ‘hybrid’ film festival that keeps pace with the changing media environment, a festival that effectively combines offline and online events . . . Overseas directors who cannot travel to Korea will be meeting audiences by introducing their films and giving talks online.” As always, BIFAN is offering a treasure trove of intriguing horror films. Here are five that I am looking forward to watching at the fest, with program notes from the official BIFAN site. Amulet Tomaz is a homeless man in London
Continue reading →
Film FestivalsForeignMoviesReviews
Special guest coauthor: Chris Weatherspoon The 23rd Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), the largest genre film fest in both its home of South Korea and of Asia as well, took place about a month earlier than its preceding editions (running June 27–July 7 this year) and delivered one of its strongest lineups in recent memory. BIFAN boasted horror, thriller, action, and other genre films of all stripes from around the world. Following are our thoughts on five of the fest’s offerings. Chris Weatherspoon: Irish horror-comedy Extra Ordinary is the feature debut for writing/directing team Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman. Comedian Maeve Higgins (Inside Amy Schumer) stars as Rose Dooley, a bumbling spinster who earns her living as a driving instructor; however, Rose is far from being an ordinary, lonely middle-aged woman, as the movie’s title notes. Rose has the ability to communicate with the dead and to exorcise ghosts, but a childhood incident has left her traumatized, and for
Continue reading →
