The 28th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival,
Recruiting Mentees for 'Fantastic Film School,'
a genre filmmaking training program
Call for filmmakers and aspiring filmmakers until April 30th
Over the 16 years of the Fantastic Film School, 370 graduates have excelled every year.
¡ã 2023 Fantastic Film School Graduation Ceremony
The 28th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN, Festival Director SHIN Chul) is calling for mentees in the 'Fantastic Film School' until midnight on Tuesday, April 30, 2024(GMT+9). Entries can be made through the BIFAN online submission site (
https://vp.eventival.com/bifan/2024). All aspiring filmmakers, including directors, writers, and producers, who are currently working as filmmakers or have participated in filmmaking are eligible to apply.
The finalists will be announced on the website and notified individually on Friday, May 31. Detailed information can be found on the website (
https://www.bifan.kr) under "Submission". For inquiries, contact the Industry Program Team via email (naff.ffs@bifan.kr).
¡ã Participants in the Fantastic Film School will develop one project per team through hands-on training and workshops on genre filmmaking and the industry as a whole.
The Fantastic Film School is a genre filmmaking training and networking program for emerging Asian filmmakers. Participants can learn directly from experts in various fields of the global film business, including ¡ã Scenario Development ¡ã Film Scene Analysis ¡ã International Co-Production ¡ã Alternative Film Distribution and Screening ¡ã Forum on Current Issues in the Film Industry. During the program, students will be able to participate in master classes, workshops, and team pitches with mentors from the genre film industry.
The Fantastic Film School(FFS) was founded in 2008 and has graduated 370 students. Graduates have gone on to become prominent figures in genre films around the world. For example, directors KIM Damin (FFS Class of 2017), Nelson YEO (FFS Class of 2015), and Kenneth DAGATAN (FFS Class of 2019), who made their feature film debuts this year, are all alumni. KIM's FAQ won the Aurora Media Award at the 28th Busan International Film Festival, and Nelson YEO's Dreaming & Dying (original title: Hao jiu bu jian) won the Golden Leopard and Best Debut Feature at the 76th Locarno Film Festival. Kenneth DAGATAN's In My Mother’s Skin premiered at the 39th Sundance and the 27th BIFAN.
A new project by a group of Fantastic Film School alumni has been honored at the 4th Taiwan Creative Content Festival. Mother Maybe, directed by Sonny CALVENTO (FFS Class of 2019) and produced by Arden Rod CONDEZ (FFS Class of 2018), took home three awards (TAICCA-CNC Award, MPA Award, and Taichung Action Award), while The Ballad of Long Hair, directed by Giovanni RUSTANTO (FFS Class of 2021) and produced by Annisa ADJAM (FFS Class of 2021), won the Udine FEFF Award.
¡ã Ananth SUBRAMANIAM, director of The Passport (left, pictured left) and Oscar DUONG, director of Sesame Has Its Soul(left, pictured right) have been selected as NAFF It Project and awarded in 2023, creating a virtuous cycle.
Alumni projects are selected for NAFF It Project of BIFAN Industry Gathering, creating a virtuous cycle. Director Shyam BORA, FFS Class of 2021, and filmmakers Gregoire GRAESSLIN, Saurav GHIMIRE, SINN Kirin, Ananth SUBRAMANIAM, Oscar DUONG, Tim Kian CHENG, and Kevin RAHARDJO, FFS Class of 2022, were selected as NAFF It Project for 2023. Among their projects, The Passport (Director Ananth SUBRAMANIAM) won the Bucheon Award, Sesame Has Its Soul (Director Oscar DUONG) won the TAICCA Award, and Maiden Home (Director SINN Kirin) won the VIPO Award.
"This year, we will also provide a rich education by organizing masterclasses and lecturers that are not easily available," said B.I.G NAFF Managing Director Jongsuk Thomas NAM. "We hope that participants who dream of making genre films can apply."
The 28th BIFAN in 2024 will be held from July 4 to 14 in Bucheon. The NAFF Fantastic Film School of BIFAN Industry Gathering will take place from July 4 to 10 during the festival.