The Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), chaired by Shin Chul, opens its doors. The 29th BIFAN will hold its opening ceremony on the afternoon of the 3rd at the Bucheon Art Center in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province. The festival will run for ten days starting from this day.
The ceremony will be hosted by actor Kang Seok-woo, featuring red carpet and photo wall events for guests, followed by the official opening declaration. A total of 103 filmmakers from both domestic and international backgrounds will attend, including organizing committee chairwoman Jang Mi-hee.
This year, 217 films from 41 countries will be screened. The lineup consists of 103 feature films, 77 short films, 11 AI (artificial intelligence) films, and 26 XR (extended reality) films.
The slogan 'Stay Strange', adopted in 2021, remains unchanged, emphasizing the festival’s identity as a genre film festival that supports unconventional talents.
The opening film is 'Looking for Him' (2024), directed by Piotr Bittner, a Polish filmmaker currently based in Denmark. This film uses a screenplay by renowned German director Werner Herzog, which has been processed through artificial intelligence (AI). It explores the significance and ethics of artistic creation in the age of AI.
The closing film is 'The Regulars' (2025), directed by Han Jae-i. The story revolves around a workaholic English teacher who teams up with local residents to find her suddenly missing mother. The film features actors Joo Hyun-young and Kim Mi-kyung.
A special actor exhibition titled 'The Master: Lee Byung-hun' will also take place, giving insight into Lee Byung-hun's over 30 years of acting career. Ten films will be screened, including 'Joint Security Area (JSA)', 'A Bittersweet Life', and 'The Man Standing Next'.
A special director exhibition called 'Kim Tae-yong, The Temperature of Perspective' is also prepared. This is organized to commemorate the publication of Kim's representative works, 'The Story of Ggotdu' (2019) and 'Her Legend' (2015).
The 29th BIFAN will be held in various locations in Bucheon until the 13th. Screenings will take place at the Bucheon City Hall (Oullim Square & Fantastic Cube), Korean Comic Museum, CGV Soopong, Bucheon Art Bunker B39, and also online on the streaming platform Wavve.
<Photo Source=Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival>
