¡ã Commemorative photo with all NAFF and Goedam award winners and representatives of BIFAN  

On Tuesday, July 9, BIFAN’s industry section – newly firming under BIFAN+ – wrapped with a closing ceremony where the winners of the NAFF (Network of Asian Fantastic Films) Project Market were announced. For the first time, also the results of the Goedam Campus, the winners of the Goedam Short Film Production Support were announced together with NAFF results.

The NAFF Project Market, the world's first genre film project market, had officially selected 37 projects from 22 countries this year. The market took place for the first time at the new venue – the Bucheon Webtoon Convergence Center. For the Goedam Campus 20 projects competed for 5 awards. In order to build a broader base for the production of genre films, BIFAN striving to provide more support by expanding the award categories through business agreements with various organizations and companies around the world, including Asia. In particular, this year, BIFAN entered into new partnerships with the French National Cinematographic Center (CNC) and Thailand's Kantana Post.

A total of 173 million KRW (approx. 124,000 US$) in prize money were handed out, divided into eight cash awards with 83 mill KRW (approx. 60,000 US$), two post production cost support and two in-kind support awards worth 90 mill KRW (approx. 64,000 US$). The cash awards are Bucheon Award with 15 million KRW (approx. 11.800 US$), the NAFF Award with 10 million KRW (approx. 7.200 US$), the Asian Discovery Award, with 10 mill KRW (approx. 7.200 US$), the Korean Discovery Award with 15 million KRW (approx. 11.800 US$), the NAFF Korean Award with 15 mill KRW (approx. 11,800 US$), the TAICCA Award with 10,000 US$, the DHL Award with 5 mill KRW (approx. 3,600 US$), and the VIPO Award with 500,000 JPY (approx. 3,100 US$).

 

¡ã (from left to right) Director Kenneth DAGATAN and producer Bradley LIEW, of Molder, the winner of the Bucheon Award, and YOO Sungjun Head of Department for Culture and Education, City of Bucheon  

The Bucheon Award with 15 mill KRW went to Molder by director Kenneth Dagatan, a horror mystery thriller with supernatural elements about a Filipino immigrant to Italy suffering from dementia. Producer Bradley Liew expressed the gratitude for the award saying: “...in the world of genre it’s a little bit difficult to get our projects out because the kinds of films that normally go to markets would not be horror films or fantasy films or SciFi films. Thank you for giving us a place to present these works and to try to make our films and our stories come true.”.

 

¡ã (from left to right) Producer Trang NGUYEN and director Lê HOÀNG of The Heirloom winner of the NAFF Award, festival director SHIN Chul  

The NAFF Award, the excellence award, went to Vietnamese project The Heirloom by director Lê Hoàng, a horror drama about an orphaned museum guard, desperate to get rich to win the heart of a single mom. The director thanked the jury: “It’s my first time in Bucheon. But I already feel like home. Thanks to BIFAN. Thanks to everyone to make this experience wonderful for my first time going abroad. And I promise I will never be at a project market anymore, I will bring the completed film.”

¡ã (from left to right) Producer FUJITA Kanako and director MURAKAMI Riko of Push-button Syndrome winner of the Asia Discovery Award, jury member Mike MACARI  

The Asian Discovery Award (award for Asian newcomer) was given to the Japanese project Push-button Syndrome by director Murakami Riko, a satire mystery action comedy about a ruthless protagonist that develops a 'Button-Press Syndrome', compelling him to press every button he sees as he struggles to empathize with others. Director Murakami Riko expressed her surprise about winning the award saying: “We didn’t think we can receive this award so thank you very much and please go home by pushing this button.”

¡ã (from left to right) Director JUNG Seeum of Folklore winner of the Korean Discovery Award, and festival director SHIN Chul  

The Korean Discovery Award (award for Korean newcomer) with 15 mill KRW went to Folklore by director Jung Seeum, a horror romance drama about a funeral director whose life falls apart after losing her husband in an accident on their wedding anniversary.

¡ã (from left to right) Director LEE Taegyeom of DHAMMAPADA, producer PARK Sejoon and director KIM Minha of Idiot Girls and School Ghost 2: Teaching Practice, winners of the 2 NAFF Korean Awards, jury member KIM Yohwan  

The NAFF Korean Award went to DHAMMAPADA by director Lee Taegyeom, a story where tattoos made unpleasant memories fade away, and to Idiot Girls and School Ghost 2: Teaching Practice by director Kim Minha, the sequel of Idiot Girls and School Ghost: School Anniversary which won the BIFAN 2023 NAFF Korean Award.

¡ã (from left to right) Director YOSHIDA Daihachi and producer TAKAHASHI Naoya of BAIT, winner of the TAICCA Award, Stephanie LI, senior manager at TAICCA  

The TAICCA Award, established in 2023, with 10,000 U$D, sponsored by the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), was handed over to the Japanese project BAIT by director Yoshida Daihachi.

¡ã (from left to right) Director Patiparn BOONTARIG and producer Napakarn BOONTARIG of Naga Swim Upstream, winner of the VIPO Award, MORISHITA Mika, senior general manager at VIPO  

The VIPO Award honored the Thai project Naga Swim Upstream by director Patiparn Boontarig. As part of the collaboration with the Visual Industry Promotion Organization (VIPO) of Japan, the award includes a cash prize of 500,000 JPY.
The DHL Award, sponsored by DHL Korea was awarded to the Indonesian project Dancing Gale by director Sammaria Simanjuntak.

¡ã (from left to right) Director Randolph ZAINI from Virgin Bash winner of the Mocha Chai Award and Yee-wei CHAI, CEO of Mocha Chai Laboratories; Gail Kamona, senior manager at Kantana Post, director LEE Taegyeom and producer KIM Young of DHAMMAPADA, winner of the Kantana Award  

The Mocha Chai Award, supporting post production went to the Indonesian project Virgin Bash by director Randolph Zaini. For the first time this year, the Kantana Post Award, worth 25,000 US$ in post production was handed out to the Korean project DHAMMAPADA, already the second award beside the Korean Discovery Award.

¡ã (from left to right) Rachel YOO, producer of The Vampire of Sheung Shui, Ángel SALA, director of the Sitges Film Festival, producer Michael J. WERNER, director/producer Shreyom GHOSH and producer Peter YAM of The Vampire of Sheung Shui, winner of the Sitges Award  

The Blood Window Award that includes an invitation to Ventana Sur Blood Window (air ticket, accommodation, badge) went once more to Molder. The Sitges FanPitch Award that comes with an air ticket, accommodation and a badge to participate in the Sitges Film Festival’s FanPitch went to the project The Vampire of Sheung Shui by director Shreyom Ghosh.

This year, the jury members included US producer Mike Macari from Koji Production, Yulia Evina Bhara, producer and CEO of Indonesian Kawankawan Media, and Korean Kim Yohwan, producer and CEO of 88 Avenue. Through meetings with the directors and producers of all participating projects and in-depth evaluation the three-member jury selected a total of 9 winners in 7 categories.

Speaking on behalf of the jury Yulia said: “It’s been three productive days for us. We met very talented filmmakers with very diverse projects. When it comes to decision of course it’s very difficult. After a long discussion, for five hours, we agreed to give awards to projects which have three combined aspects: the first is the pitch was clear and well prepared, second is creativity of the story, and the third how far advanced is the project in the production schedule.”

¡ã LIM Seunghyun, director of Memory Puzzle, winner of the Bucheon Award and YOO Sungjun Head of Department for Culture and Education, City of Bucheon, Devina SOFIYANTI, director of The Heirlooms, festival director SHIN Chul  

Also the results of the Goedam Campus were announced: the Goedam Short Film Production Awards went to the four proejcts Holo by Choi Junhyuk, Don’t Let Me In by Lee Suhyeon, Baljjeo by Kim Sung-hyen and Broken Winter by Jeong Yuwon. The Strange Award was scored by Memory Puzzle by Lim Seunghyun, and the Bucheon Award went to The Heirlooms by Devina Sofiyanti.

While BIFAN’s industry program BIFAN+ has wrapped the audience festival will continue till Sunday, July 14, at Bucheon City Hall, CGV Sopung and the Korea Manhwa Museum. Films can be also watched through the online platform wave. Beyond Reality, BIFAN’s XR runs at the Bucheon Art Bunker B39 and the special exhibition “One and Only Son Yejin” can be enjoyed at the Hyundai Department Store Jungdong Branch. The festival’s closing ceremony will take place on Friday, July 12, with the Korean premiere of the Hong Kong martial arts action movie Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In by Soi Cheang as the closing film.

¡á 2024 NAFF Project Market Award Winners

¡á 2024 Goedam Award Winners

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