BY MICHAEL FRAIMAN
I know, I know. Movies are cool. But film festivals? Even when you speak the language, navigating a pretentious labyrinthine orgy of independent art is a daunting prospect. All these movies! All these names! Can’t I just save my money and download the popular ones later?
No, you easily-intimidated Westerner, you! The Busan International Film Festival (Oct. 6-14) is actually a terrific way to see movies you may literally never get the chance to see again. And even though the whole thing seems harder to tackle than some NFL linebacker I don’t know the name of because I’m obviously a movie guy (is a linebacker even someone you tackle?), for the more culturally adventurous among you, we’ll break down the heaping loads of information about the BIFF, starting at the top.
FIRST OFF: WHAT IS IT?
The BIFF is arguably Asia’s most influential film festival, and inarguably its largest. When it began in 1996, it screened 170-odd films, and that number has nearly doubled to 307 this year. There is a definite slant towards Korean/Asian cinema, but it is unquestionably international. Most movies will have English subtitles. (You can find which do and don’t on the screening schedule legend—every movie that doesn’t have a little letter next to it does.)
To read the whole article (covers ticketing and other info), click here!
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