Korean Film News

 

 KOFIC and UNIJAPAN hold Asian Dinner / 2004-02-24

 

 

 

 

 

 Film promotion organizations KOFIC and UNIJAPAN are pleased to report on the successful co-hosting of an Asian Dinner at the 2004 International Film Festival Rotterdam.
Held in honor of departing festival director Simon Field, the dinner was attended by a large number of distinguished filmmakers and guests, including Ms. Sandra den Hamer (co-festival director, IFFR), Mr. Tony Rayns (film critic), Ms. Kawase Naomi (director), Mr. Kurosawa Kiyoshi (director), Mr. Yutaka Tsuchiya (director), Mr. Yamashita Nobuhiro (director), Mr. Diao Yinan (director), Mr. Wang Xiaoshuiai (director), Mr. Lee Kang-sheng (director/actor), and many other Asian distributors, producers, and filmmakers. Mr. Field was saluted at the dinner for his long service to the Rotterdam festival, prior to his resignation this year.

As noted by well-known film critic Tony Rayns at the start of the dinner, the event held a special significance as the first event of its type to be co-organized by Asian countries. In some ways it may serve as a very first step towards forging partnerships and alliances between Asian film industries under the AFIN (Asian Film Industry Network).

Additional plans for the co-promotion of Asian films are being planned by KOFIC, UNIJAPAN and other film promotion organizations throughout the region. The AFIN website, containing useful information about each market in Asia, will be launched during the 2004 Cannes International Film Festival.

In addition, plans are in the works for the joint operation of a promotion desk at the Toronto International Film Festival's industry office. This would be the first such example of a desk to promote Asian films as a whole, rather than one particular industry.

Finally, a round table meeting is tentatively scheduled to be held in October for the purpose of reviewing the year 2004 and to discuss areas for further co-operation.

KOFIC and UNIJAPAN look forwarding to welcoming other film representatives from the Asian region to help promote Asian films in these and other future endeavours. For more information about these or other events, please contact the Korean Film Commission's International Promotion Department.


Darcy Paquet
(KOFIC)

 

 

                                                                               

 

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