PiFan (Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival), having opened its door in the summer of 1997 with the showing of Georges Melies' <Le voyage dans la lune>, is already celebrating its special 10th anniversary. PiFan started out as an effort from City of Puchon, which grew into a city of 800,000 population merely in 20 years after climbing to the rank of city, to strengthen its image as a city of culture.

The festival grew considerably since then, thanks to full-fledged support of the film aficionados from Seoul and its metropolitan areas.

During the past nine years, PiFan focused on recuperating of balance in film culture through films with emphasis on non-mainstream nature, such as films with styles that are considered alternative to the mainstream sentiment, 'B-Movies', and so forth. As a result, representative films such as <Kingdom> played a major role in spreading the opportunity to enjoy films that is not otherwise readily available in the mainstream film culture. At the same time, PiFan contributed significantly in incubating new directors of young sensibility, including Kim Ji-woon, to the ranks of world-class directors.

Upon celebrating its special 10th anniversary, PiFan is now taking yet another immense stop based upon its previous successes. As a 'fantastic film festival,' PiFan have centered itself with the programming of genre films that geared towards small number of aficionados, such as horror, SF and thriller among others. This is a trait it shares with traditional European fantastic film festivals. However, PiFan is now attempting to leap forward along with the advancement in technology and the mixing of mainstream and non-mainstream values, as it is evident in the results of the recent Academy Awards. In other words, while respecting the original qualities of genre films, the festival is expanding the boundaries between the genres that are increasingly becoming vague. Accordingly, the 10th PiFan is characterized with continued showcase of the latest genre film including horror and thriller, while pursuing diverse and fine programming in increasing manner.

What's more, key evaluation of the past nine years from its ardent audiences of 'PiFan's forte lies in its special showcase,' will continue to be a major characteristics of this 10th edition of the festival. In fact, in some respect, it presents the audience with special-like specials more than any other years in the past to show its appreciation for the audience on their continuous, active support of the festival. <Korean Director's Cut>, <Ishii Teruo specials>, <Comedy of Jacques Tati>, <Fritz Lang with music>, <Italian Horror Specials> and others shine the 10th PiFan even more with each showcase having deeper and broader significance.

'Gaeby was Restored as a Tree' 
Surviving a series of trials and errors, the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival is now Asia's largest as it celebrates its 10th anniversary. The Film Festival previously primarily focused on surrealist imagery based on fantasy and adventure. The Festival's 2006 poster, however, aims to present fantasy and adventure in the more encompassing concept of love along with the new Festival Identity (FI), which was developed to embody the Film Festival's vision for its future.

The overall silhouette of the poster's design used the official symbol, Gaeby, as a motif. The poster depicts the concept that the sprouts ten years ago have grown up into a ten-year-old tree. The stretched-out branches symbolize the vitality of the tree, or the future of the film festival. The poster also depicts several symbolic animals along with the image of lovers, which express the Festival's theme of love through 'fantasy and adventure.' The stylized images of flower and film symbolize the Film Festival aim to give pleasure to its visitors. 

Going beyond the concept of fantasy, which has been confined to the genres of horror, SF, and thriller, this poster tries to express the visual identity that contains the past and the future of the Film Festival, with particular stress on the 10th anniversary. To express the idea that this Film Festival is not just for filmmakersbut also for everyone, the poster used bright colors for its background: blue, red, black and white. 

Designer : KOO Sung-hee