Schmoozing at the Pusan Promotion Panel
Projects to meet possible coproducers, investors at event
By LUKAS SCHWARZACHER
http://www.variety.com/index.asp?
layout=story&articleid=VR1117876192&categoryid=1043&query=asian+and+am
erican&display=asian+american&cs=1

PUSAN, South Korea -- Judging by Asian, American and European
industryites packing Monday's opening event of the 5th Pusan
Promotion Panel, the professional section of the Pusan Intl. Film
Festival has matured into Asia's foremost industry schmoozing corner.
The three-day PPP is still centered on selected projects by Asian
directors and producers who get a chance to meet potential
coproducers and investors. But it shows the first signs of developing
into a mini-market, with Korea's leading film and distribution
companies setting up shop to present their product to prospective
buyers who make their way to Pusan in ever greater numbers.

Cinema Service, Korea's largest producer and distributor, made its
first deals even before PPP's official start. It sold Kim Tae-gyun's
martial arts action-comedy "Volcano High" to Anant Singh's Distant
Horizon for distribution in the U.S. And Japan's Gaga Communications
picked up up-and-coming Korean director Byun Young-joo's "Ardor"
which screens in PIFF's New Current section. The 10-day PIFF closes
on Saturday.

This year 21 projects from 13 countries ranging from Afghanistan to
Taiwan made it into the final selection. They will vie for six
awards, including the $20,000 Pusan Award and the $10,000 Hubert Bals
Fund Award sponsored by the Rotterdam Intl. Film Festival, whose
Cinemart market was the original model for the PPP.

All awards go towards assisting further development and production of
the winning projects.

None of this year's entries have the promise to be exceptional films
in terms of originality, strong ideas and convincing stories.

Take Afghanistan's Sedigh Barmak's "Rainbow" about the fate of women
under the Taliban, which will be produced by Iran's cinematic
wunderkind Mohsen Makhmalbaf. As timely as the topic is, it has
already been covered, not least by Makhmalbaf's festival
favorite "Kandahar" last year.

Established directors including Hong Kong's Peter Chan, Korea's Hong
Sangsoo and Taiwan's Hous Hsiao-hsien are presenting projects, next
to relative newcomers, China's Wang Chao and Thailand's Wisit
Sasanatieng. The latter has made some waves in the art-house circuit
with debut feature "Tears of the Black Tiger."

The usual panel discussions planned for these intensive days focus on
production and film financing in Asia.



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Pusan mart splits prize
Student in '60s upheaval nabs Hubert Bals Fund Award
By LUKAS SCHWARZACHER
http://www.variety.com/index.asp?
layout=story&articleid=VR1117876322&categoryid=19&query=asian+and+amer
ican&display=asian+american&cs=1

PUSAN -- The Pusan Promotion Panel project market wrapped Wednesday
night with Korean auteur Hong Sangsoo's unnamed fifth feature
and "The Best of Our Times," produced by Taiwan's veteran helmer Hou
Hsiao-hsien, sharing top Pusan Award of $20,000.
Although none of the projects selected for the three-day PPP stood
out, the fifth edition of the professional sidebar of this year's
Pusan Intl. Film Festival (Nov. 14-23) featured a representative
cross-section of new Asian cinema.

Many of the projects deal with social pressures and changes in
developing Asian countries.

A tale of a student caught up in the political upheaval of 1960s
Indonesia to be directed by Riri Riza secured the coveted Hubert Bals
Fund Award. Its selection is a sign of support for the struggling
Indonesian film industry. The project also generated interest among
specialized sales companies.

PPP sponsor Kodak Korea awarded its prize of film stock worth $20,000
to Korean project "Solongos" by Min Kyu Dong set in Mongolia.
Singapore's entry "Leap of Love" by up-and-coming director Cheek went
home with the Busan Film Commission Award worth $10,000, while
China's Li Yu secured the $10,000 Göteborg Film Festival Award for
her "Dam Street," a social portrait of 1980ies' China.

"The PPP is a dream for young Asian filmmakers," beamed Li Yu after
the award ceremony.

With its intensive pitching sessions and a growing presence of Asian,
European and American production and sales executives on the look for
new product, the PPP kept its promise to be Korea's and Asia's main
bridgehead to the world.

To strengthen its position, the PPP announced the merger of its
Korean Film Industry Center with the Busan Film Commission Exhibition
concurrently held with the PPP. From next year, the event will be
called the Asian Film Industry Center and will feature exhibitors
from all over Asia, such as film commissions, postproduction houses
and technical suppliers.

If everything goes according to plan, AFIC will evolve as a one-stop
provider of all services from development to pre- to postproduction.

One aspect will take time to develop, if ever: the "mini-market"
which clusters around the PPP, comprising Korea's leading sales and
production companies. Sales were few and far between.

"After all, the PPP is still a project market, and our presence here
serves more to present our product to future buyers and interested
parties," said Cassie Yoo, VP Intl. at sales and distribution outfit
Mirovision.