Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival

The Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Korean: 부천국제판타스틱영화제; Hanja: 富川國際판타스틱映畵祭), or BiFan, formerly known as Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival or PiFan, is an international film festival held annually in July in Bucheon, South Korea. Inaugurated in 1997, the festival focuses on South Korean and international horror, thriller, mystery and fantasy films, with particular attention to Asian cinema from East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is a non-competitive international film festival, with partial competition, awarding a number of awards.

Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival
Official emblem
LocationBucheon, South Korea
Founded1997
Most recent2023
Hosted byBIFAN Organizing Committee
LanguageKorean
English
Websitebifan.kr

History

The inaugural festival was held in 1997. Until 2015, it was known as the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival, or PiFan.[1]

The festival faced a boycott in 2005 to protest what was seen by critics as meddling by Bucheon mayor Hong Geon-pyo. A rival event called RealFanta was organized that year on the same dates as BiFan by former festival director Kim Hong-joon. The festival returned in 2006 without any dispute under the direction of veteran filmmaker Lee Jang-ho and a new programming team.[2]

Since then, editions of the festival have included the following:

  • The 11th edition of PiFan, held from 12 to 24 July 2007, featured 225 films from 33 countries.
  • The 12th edition of PiFan was held from 18 July to 27 July 2008.
  • The 18th edition of PiFan was held from 17 July to 27 July 2014, featuring 210 films from 47 countries.[1]
  • The 19th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan) took place from 16 to 26 July, 2015, with a change of name. It showcased 235 films from 45 countries.[3]
  • The 20th edition of BiFan took place from 21 to 31 July, 2016. It showcased 320 films from 49 countries.[4]
  • The 21st edition of BiFan was held from 13 July to 23 July 2017. It featured 289 films from 58 countries.[5]
  • The 22nd edition of BiFan was held from 12 July to 22 July 2018. It featured 290 films from 53 countries.[6]
  • The 23rd edition of BiFan took place from June 27 to 7 July, 2019. It featured 299 films from 54 countries (166 Features, 133 Shorts).[7][8]
  • The 24th edition of BiFan took place from July 9 to 16, 2020. It featured 194 films from 42 countries.[9][10]
  • The 25th edition of BiFan was held from 8 to 18 July 2021. It featured 257 films from 47 countries. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea, it was held in a hybrid format (online and offline) at five different locations, including Oul Madang and CGV Picnic.[11] As per quarantine guidelines for COVID-19 containment, online screening of 154 films (61 feature films, 93 short films), which is about 60 % of the entire film festival were open to view on WAAVE over-the-top (OTT) service.[12]
  • The 26th edition of BiFan was held from 7 to 17 July 2022. It featured 268 films from 49 countries.[13] From this edition a new award titled as 'Series Film Award' was started. The first Series Film Award was awarded to Squid Game.[14]
  • The 27th edition of BiFan was held from 29 June to 9 July 2023. It featured 262 films from 51 countries. Closing ceremony, hosted by Jo Sung-ha and Ye Ji-won was held on July 7 at Bucheon City Hall Main Theater.[15] Bucheon Choice: Feature was awarded to The Witchcraft by Christopher Murray.[16]

Program

The festival's programming consists of following sections:

  • Opening film
  • Bucheon Choice
    • Bucheon Choice Features
    • Bucheon Choice: Shorts 1 Edit
    • Bucheon Choice: Shorts 2
  • Korean Fantastic
    • Korean Fantastic: Competition
    • Korean Fantastic: Features
    • Korean Fantastic: Shorts
  • World Fantastic Red
  • World Fantastic Blue
  • Family Zone
  • Forbidden Zone
  • Strange Hommage
  • Fantastic Short Films
  • Vertical Short Film Special Screening : 25
  • BIFAN x wavve Online Screening

Awards

The festival is a non-competitive international film festivals with partial competition. It gives away following awards:[17]

  • Bucheon Choice: It is the international competition section of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. It offers these awards:
    • Bucheon Choice Feature:
    • Best Picture (Award of KRW 20 million)
    • Director Award (5 million won in prize money)
    • Special Jury Prize (5 million won in prize money)
    • Featured Audience Award
  • Bucheon Choice: Short
    • Best Short Film (5 million won in prize money)
    • Short Film Jury Award (3 million won in prize money)
    • Short Audience Award
  • Korean Fantastic: This is a domestic competition section for the Korean films.
  • Korean Fantastic: Feature
    • Korean Fantastic Film Award (20 million won in prize money)
    • Korean Fantastic Director Award (5 million won in prize money)
    • Korean Fantastic Actor Award (2 people)
    • Korean Fantastic Audience Award
    • NH Agricultural Negotiation (distribution support award, 10 million won)
    • CGV Award (Distribution Support Award, 10 million won)
    • Best Feature Award (2 films, 5 million won each)
  • Korean Fantastic: Short
    • Korean Fantastic Short Film Award (5 million won in prize money)
    • Korean Fantastic Short Audience Award
    • Best Short Film that Watcha noticed (5 episodes, 1 million won each)
  • Méliès International Film Festival Federation (MIFF) Asian Film Award: This award is given for the purpose of discovering and promoting Asian fantastic genre films.
  • NETPAC award: This award is awarded by Netpack, the Asian Film Promotion Organization.
  • Odd Family Award: Instituted from 26th edition, it is awarded to the Best Film from the 'Odd Family section' by BIFAN Strange Children Jury, composed of children of Bucheon City.
  • Series Film Award: Instituted from 26th edition, it is awarded to the best drama series.[14]

See also

Other genre film festivals

References
  1. Jean Noh (July 18, 2014). "18th PiFan opens with Stereo, Producers' Choice Awards". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  2. Paquet, Darcy (May 14, 2006). "Fest tries to regain fantastic rep". Variety. Archived from the original on May 30, 2007. Retrieved July 12, 2007.
  3. Sonia Kil (June 17, 2015). "Antoine Bardou-Jacquet's MOONWALKERS to Open 19th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival". KOFIC. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  4. Nadilo, Sabastian (August 8, 2016). "Winners of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival 2016". Asian Film Festivals. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  5. "South Korea's Bucheon Fantastic Fest Sets Opening, Closing Films". The Hollywood Reporter. June 15, 2017. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  6. Lee, Hyo-won (June 7, 2018). "South Korea's Bucheon Fantastic Fest to Spotlight Horror Masters, Women in Film". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  7. "BIFAN 2019: Introduction". Bifan. July 7, 2019. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  8. Nadilo, Sabastian (July 5, 2019). "23rd Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival – Awards 2019". Asian Film Festivals. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  9. Nadilo, Sabastian (July 10, 2020). "20 Films you can't miss at the 24th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Part 1)". Asian Film Festivals. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  10. Lee, Jae-Lim (July 17, 2020). "24th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival comes to a close". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  11. Yoon Tae-hyu (July 8, 2021). "'장르 영화 축제' 부천국제판타스틱영화제 개막…방역에 총력" ['Genre Film Festival' Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival opens... focus on quarantine]. Yonhap News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  12. Lee Jin-young (July 9, 2021). "웨이브, 오늘부터 부천국제판타스틱영화제 온라인 상영관 오픈" [Wave, Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival online screening open from today]. Newsis (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on July 11, 2021. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  13. Kwak Myeong-dong (July 9, 2022). "제26회 부천국제판타스틱영화제 산업프로그램 B.I.G 전격 출범" [The 26th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival industrial program BIG launch]. My Daily (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on July 10, 2022. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  14. Kang Kyung-rok (July 10, 2022). "오징어게임, BIFAN서 '시리즈 영화상' 최초 수상" [Squid Game wins 'Series Film Award' at BIFAN for the first time]. Edaily (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  15. Kwak Myeong-dong (July 4, 2023). "조성하·예지원, 제27회 부천국제판타스틱영화제 폐막식 사회" [Jo Seong-ha and Ye Ji-won, host of the 27th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival Closing Ceremony]. My Daily (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  16. Lee Da-won (July 8, 2023). "제27회 BIFAN, 폐막…정이서·장성범 배우상 수상" [The 27th BIFAN, Closing... Jeong Yi-seo and Jang Seong-beom won the Actor Award]. Sports Kyunghyang (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  17. "BIFAN: Awards". Bifan. July 9, 2021. Archived from the original on July 16, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
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