Latest news with #BusanCinemaCenter
Korea Herald
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Dance takes over Busan beaches as International Dance Festival returns in June
For five days in early June, Busan will transform into a sprawling stage as the 21st Busan International Dance Festival brings contemporary movements to its beaches, cinemas and cultural centers. Running June 4 - June 8, the festival is set to fill the city's early summer beaches and urban landscape with the vibrant energy of dance from around the world. This year, more than 30 works will be performed by approximately 300 artists from 10 companies representing 15 countries. Performances will take place at landmark venues including a special stage on Haeundae Beach, the Busan Cinema Center, Gwangalli Beach and the Busan Education Arts and Culture Center for Students. Headlining the festival is "Carmina Burana," a dramatic work set to the music of Carl Orff and choreographed by the internationally renowned Tamas Juronics. The piece, performed by Hungary's celebrated Szeged Contemporary Dance Company, will be staged three times from June 5 to 7 at the Busan Cinema Center. "Carmina Burana" tells the story of a young woman fated to a short and harsh life, who dreams of a new world after encountering the unexpected gift of love. A signature work in SCDC's repertoire, "Carmina Burana" has been performed over 500 times worldwide and has drawn more than 200,000 audience members. Its Busan stage marks its Asian premiere.
Korea Herald
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
African Film Festival returns with screenings in Seoul, Busan and Jeonju
Festival to showcase 15 films from 15 countries, with post-screening talks and Asian premieres The Korea-Africa Foundation will hold the 7th edition of its annual African Film Festival from May 20 to June 15 in Seoul, Busan and Jeonju. The festival will open at Lotte Cinema Dogok in Seoul from May 20-26, move to Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae from May 27 to June 1 and conclude at Jeonju Digital Independent Cinema from June 12-15. This year's lineup features 15 films from 15 countries, spanning drama, documentary, thriller, adventure and comedy. The selections were recommended by the African Group of Ambassadors in Korea. The opening ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Lotte Cinema Dogok, welcoming officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and members of the local film industry. Moroccan Ambassador to Korea Shafiq Hashadi is expected to deliver congratulatory remarks. Egypt's "Photocopy" (2017) has been chosen as the opening film to mark the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and Egypt. Directed by Tamir Ashry, the film follows Mahmoud, a retiree who finds new purpose and unexpected romance while running a small copy shop. Other notable entries include the Nigerian fantasy epic "Anikulapo" (2022), which follows a young man whose affair with a king's wife sends his life in unexpected directions, and Sudan's "Goodbye Julia" (2023) directed by Mohamed Kordofani, where a North Sudanese woman, haunted by guilt over a murder, takes in the victim's widow and son from South Sudan. The festival also features "The 600: The Soldiers' Story" (2019) from Rwanda making its Asian premiere — a gripping account of 600 soldiers who rescued thousands of civilians during the 1994 genocide. Audiences can take part in post-screening talk sessions featuring film experts in Seoul on May 23, Busan on May 30 and Jeonju on June 13. Separate Q&A sessions with directors and cast members are scheduled in Seoul on May 24 and Busan on May 27. Screening schedules and further details are available on the Korea-Africa Foundation website. Tickets can be purchased via the websites of Lotte Cinema, Busan Cinema Center and Jeonju Digital Independent Cinema.
Korea Herald
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Busan International Short Film Festival returns with sound-focused theme
Country's first and logest running short film festival to spotlight art of sound in cinema South Korea's oldest and longest-running short film festival returns Thursday for its 42nd edition, featuring 157 films from 41 countries at Busan Cinema Center and BNK Busan Bank Art Cinema through April 29. This year's edition explores cinema's sonic elements under the theme "Cinema & Sound," focusing on dialogue, sound effects and music as core components of short films. The competitive lineup features two main categories: the International Competition with 40 entries from overseas and the Korean Competition showcasing 20 domestic works. The festival opens with three international selections: "Lanawaru," created by Colombian filmmaker Angello Faccini through collaboration with indigenous Amazon communities; "Across the Waters" from Berlin-based Chinese director Viv Li, set in a remote Chinese mining town; and "El Casco de Carlos" ("The Helmet") by Mexican director Franz Eichelmann Kaiser, which uses a US military helmet as a central motif to explore themes of loss along the Korean border. Wednesday's pre-festival performance at BNK Busan Bank's Ocean Hall will showcase Colombian dancer Jhonatan Jimenez, recipient of Colombia's Medal of Honor, presenting a blend of traditional and contemporary dance. Singer-songwriter Kim Sa-wol's music video will also screen during the event. Founded in 1980 as the Korean Short Film Festival, BISFF has established itself as a crucial platform for short cinema in the region. The festival receives backing from Busan City and operates independently from the larger Busan International Film Festival held each fall, focusing exclusively on films under 30 minutes. BISFF is also a significant gateway to major awards. Winners may qualify for consideration in Academy Awards categories, as well as BAFTA and Canadian Screen Awards.
Korea Herald
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
French Film Week to showcase award-winners in Seoul, Busan
Festival brings Berlin Golden Bear winner, Cannes laureates to Korean screens French Film Week is set to return to South Korea from April 4-13, the festival organizers announced Monday. Organized by the French Embassy's cultural service alongside Megabox's arthouse cinema Artnine and the Busan Cinema Center, the event has become a fixture for French cinema enthusiasts in Korea. The fifth annual festival brings a curated selection of recent French films to Artnine in Seoul as well as the Busan Cinema Center. Actor Krystal Jung serves as this year's festival ambassador. Jung gained critical acclaim for her performance in Kim Jee-woon's "Cobweb" (2023), which earned her the award for best new actress at the Buil Film Awards and best supporting actress at the Chunsa International Film Festival. The lineup features 10 titles, spanning drama, documentary, comedy and animation, all coming to local screens with Korean subtitles for the first time. Among the highlights is Mati Diop's documentary "Dahomey" (2024), which won the Golden Bear at last year's Berlin International Film Festival. The film chronicles the return of 26 artifacts to Benin that were looted during France's 1892 colonial invasion of the African country. Boris Lojkine's "A Real Job" (2024) follows a food delivery cyclist in Paris preparing for his asylum interview. It claimed both the jury prize and best actor awards in the Un Certain Regard section at that year's Cannes Film Festival. Other notable selections include Olivier Assayas' pandemic-set "Just the Two of Us" (2024), which competed at the Berlinale, Jean-Baptiste Durand's Cesar Award-winning "Junkyard Dogs" (2023) and Delphine and Muriel Coulin's "With Love and Fury" (2024), which earned Vincent Lindon the award for best actor at the Venice Film Festival. The festival also features Quentin Dupieux's surrealist comedy "Daaaaaali!" (2023) and the animated "Angelo in the Enchanted Woods" (2024), which received special screenings at Cannes. Q&A sessions will follow select screenings, offering the audience deeper insight into contemporary French cinema. For screening schedules and tickets, visit the French Embassy's website or check the social media accounts of Artnine and Busan Cinema Center.
