Pusan film festival to offer record number of premieres

One of Asia's most prestigious film festivals will feature a record number of world premieres when it gets under way next month for a 15th year, organisers said Tuesday.

The Pusan International Film Festival, to be held in South Korea's southern city of Busan from October 7-15, will feature 308 movies from 67 countries.

Organisers said 103 films would have their first public screening at the festival, which focuses on discovering new movies and first-time directors from across Asia.

Another 52 films which were only previously screened in their countries of origin would make their international debut in Busan.

"Under the Hawthorn Tree", a Chinese film directed by Zhang Yimou, who also directed the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, will open the festival.

It will close with "Camellia", an omnibus film of three separate short pieces about the city of Busan directed by Wisit Sasanatieng of Thailand, Isao Yukisada of Japan and Jang Jun-Hwan of South Korea.

"This year is for discovering new directors who will lead the future of the film industry. This will provide an opportunity for the films to become more contemporary and more revolutionary," organisers said in a statement.

The Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami will lead an education programme for young aspiring filmmakers from 16 countries. His "Certified Copy" earned its lead actress Juliette Binoche the Best Actress award at this year's Cannes Film Festival.

Invited guests include French actress Binoche, British actress Jane March, Tang Wei of China, Japanese actress Miyazaki Aoi and directors such as Oliver Stone of the United States, Spain's Carlos Saura and Ann Hui of Hong Kong.

The festival will also include a forum on the illegal distribution of movies over the Internet, which is severely damaging the industry.

Taiwanese director Tsai Ming Liang has been chosen as Asian Filmmaker of the Year for his work in pioneering unexplored areas that overcome the limitations of the art film industry.