BIFAN opens 30th edition in Bucheon
Newsis reported that BIFAN opened at 7 p.m. on July 2 and will run through July 12 across Bucheon.
The 30th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, or BIFAN, began its 11-day schedule with an opening ceremony at Bucheon Arts Center(부천아트센터) at 7 p.m. on July 2, Newsis reported.
According to Newsis, the red carpet before the ceremony was attended by Chinese actor Fan Bingbing, Hong Kong actor Josie Ho, French actor Isabelle Huppert, host and actor Kang Seok-woo, director Lee Joon-ik and director Lee Sang-min. Gyeonggi Province Governor Choo Mi-ae, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwi-young and French Embassy officials also appeared on the red carpet, the outlet said.
At the ceremony, BIFAN programmer Jongsuk Thomas Nam received the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French government for helping expand exchanges between the French and Korean film communities, Newsis reported. Nam thanked others, saying, 'This honor would not have been possible without the support of the festival family and Bucheon City.'
The Fantastic Icon Award was presented to Josie Ho, the Global Icon Award to Fan Bingbing and the Achievement Award to Isabelle Huppert, according to Newsis. The outlet identified this year's opening film as Yuen Woo-ping's 'Blades of the Guardians'; Yuen is known for the film 'Drunken Master', the report said.
Bucheon Mayor Cho Yong-eek, who chairs the festival organizing committee, said this year's festival was prepared to strengthen its foundation as a national representative genre film festival and to make both film professionals and citizens its main participants, according to Newsis. Cho said, 'I hope you fully feel the joy of laughing, being moved and imagining together through the festival.'
In a congratulatory address, Choo said, 'I will be a strong supporter so BIFAN can grow into a world-class film festival based on the cultural strength it has built over 30 years,' Newsis reported. The Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival opened under the slogan 'NEW ERA, NEW SKIN' and will continue across Bucheon through July 12, according to the report.
I will be a strong supporter so BIFAN can grow into a world-class film festival based on the cultural strength it has built over 30 years.
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