The 26th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN, Film Director SHIN Chul) announced this year’s official selections for the Network of Asian Fantastic Films (NAFF) Project Market. A total of 32 projects from 19 countries were selected, including 13 for the It Project, 10 for Project Spotlight Korea, 7 for Work in Progress, and 1 each for Blood Window and Fantastic 7. Projects are listed down below.
This Year’s NAFF Project Market received 221 submissions from 36 countries around the world. Although the number of countries decreased compared to last year, there were 19 more projects submitted this year than last year. In 2021, 202 projects were submitted from 40 countries.
One characteristic that stood out about this year’s submissions was that there was an increase in series projects. In order to keep up with the rapidly changing digital media environment and the impact of the expansion of OTT services on the production, distribution, and consumption of film and TV content, BIFAN began accepting submissions of series projects last year. Out of this year’s 32 selections, 2 are series projects: the Taiwan-Malaysia co-production, Bloody Smart, and the Korean project, Heartbreak Blues. Bloody Smart is an official It Project selection, and Heartbreak Blues was selected for Project Spotlight Korea.
The Work in Progress (post-production support) program is a noteworthy category this year. Attempts to mix and expand the boundaries of genres, such as animation and documentary, were exceptional, and works that contemplated acute issues, such as child abuse, within the framework of genre cinema stood out. The projects in this category are a confirmation of the broadening and growth of genre cinema on the global stage.
The judges that were on hand to evaluate the submissions included KIM Kyungsun (CEO, GOODINSTORY), Bong Mandae (director, Engine Film), SEO Kosuk (professor, Cheongju University), LEE Jiseung (director and professor, Far East University), and CHUNG Younghong (CEO, Paper Barn Studios). The judges from BIFAN included programmers Ellen Y.D. Kim, Jongsuk Thomas NAM, MO Eunyoung, Jin PARK, and team leader Samantha MOON (BIFAN’s Industry Program Team).
“This year’s NAFF Project Market gave filmmakers the chance to quench the thirst they had for new projects during the pandemic era,” the judges remarked. “The outstanding works from both young creators and veteran directors caught our attention. Also, as if to reflect the elevated status of K-content, there were a variety of projects either currently preparing as co-productions with Korea or looking for Korean partners.” They added, “We hope the filmmakers behind all of the selected projects form great new relationships and encounter opportunities during their one-on-one business meetings at the NAFF Project Market.”
As the first project market in Asia that launched in 2008, NAFF is known as a place of opportunity among genre filmmakers. Over the past 15 years, 399 projects have been chosen that have gone on to be completed as genre films and receive attention from the international market.
Such examples include Incantation (2019 Project Spotlight Taiwan selection), which was released in March of this year and became the second most successful film in the history of Taiwanese cinema. Go to Kill (2020 Work in Progress selection) has received an invitation to take part in the Cinequest Film and Creativity Festival’s Comedy Feature Competition, as well as the Austin Film Festival’s Comedy Vanguard competition section. Journey Beyond the Night (2020 It Project selection) received the Best Picture prize and Audience Award at the 2021 Skip City International D-Cinema Festival in Japan. Zsazsa Zaturnnah Vs. The Amazonistas Of Planet X (2020 It Project selection) was awarded support from the ICOP (International Co-production Fund) by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) in 2021. Hungry Ghost Diner (2021 It Project selection) received the IFFR LAB award at the 2021 Locarno International Film Festival. Vesper won the BIFAN Award at Sitges Pitchbox in 2019, and Huesera won the B.I.G/NAFF Award at Blood Window in 2019. The Occupant (2019 It Project selection) was selected to receive a virtual production grant in 2021 from Epic Games, which was also used by the Disney Plus sci-fi series, The Mandalorian. Moreover, directors who have attracted attention through the NAFF Project Market in the past, such as YEON Sangho (The King of Pigs), JANG Kunjae (The Vampyre: A New Life) KIM Soojung (Buster), PARK Namwon (Go to Kill), and KIM Hyunwoo (Memory), have gotten the spotlight in theaters and OTT platforms this year for their newest projects.
The filmmakers behind this year’s NAFF Project Market selections will be taking part in one-on-one business meetings with producers, investors, and distributors from all over the world. The business meetings will take place both on and offline while B.I.G is in session, from July 9 to 12.
The 26th BIFAN will be held from July 7 to 17. For 11 days, domestic and international audiences will get the chance to view films both online and offline, as well as participate in special events.
¡á Project Spotlight Korea, 10 projects
¡á It Project, 13 selections
¡á Blood Window, 1 selection
¡á Fantastic 7, 1 selection
¡á Work in Progress, 7 selections
¡ØAdditionally, you can check the major results of previous editions of the NAFF Project Market in this article (attachment).