Sayart.net - Busan International Film Festival Proceeds Without Appointed Festival Director

Post Remains Vacant Despite Extended Search, Co-Deputy Directors to Lead

Courtesy of Busan International Film Festival

The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) announced on Friday night that it will continue without a festival director, citing a lack of qualified candidates despite an extended search period. The festival had been seeking to fill the position since May of the previous year, with applications accepted until March 19 of this year.

According to the BIFF, despite receiving applications from talented candidates with experience in the film industry, academia, and the local community, none were deemed suitable based on the values sought by the festival.

As a result, the BIFF will proceed with this year's edition under the guidance of two co-deputy directors: Park Do-shin and Kang Seung-ah. These appointments were made in consultation with BIFF Chairperson Park Kwang-su and the newly appointed Director of Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM), Kim Young-deok.
 

▲ Courtesy of Busan International Film Festival

Park Do-shin, with 24 years of experience at the BIFF, will oversee the overall management of the festival and the selection of invited films. Kang Seung-ah, a former journalist at Busan Ilbo who has served as co-deputy director since 2019, will be responsible for budgeting and administration.

Kim Young-deok, previously a senior programmer at the BIFF, has been appointed as the director of ACFM, which serves as a platform for trading various forms of content.

The decision to proceed without a festival director comes amidst internal differences over the festival's management, following the abrupt resignation of former chairperson Lee Yong-kwan in May 2023.

The 29th edition of BIFF is scheduled to take place in Busan from October 2nd to 11th, with the 19th ACFM to be held from October 5th to 8th.

Sayart 

Kang In sig, insig6622@naver.com