From Short-Form to 1970s French Sci-Fi, the 30th BIFAN Unveils a Packed lineup of Special Programs!
- Platform Special Screening: Short-form Cinema presents short-form films directed by acclaimed filmmakers, including LEE Joon-ik, LEE Wonsuk, and KIM Sung-ho
- French sci-fi films spanning half a century, from the 1970s onward, to screen in French Time in Philosophical Sci-Fi, marking the 140th anniversary of France-Korea diplomatic relations
The 30th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Festival Director SHIN Chul, hereafter BIFAN) has unveiled two special programs: Platform Special Screening: Short-form Cinema and French Time in Philosophical Sci-Fi.
As part of the Fanta-scape section, Platform Special Screening: Short-form Cinema introduces four short-form films, a rapidly rising format in the Korean screen industry. This year, many established filmmakers have begun experimenting with short-form cinema, signaling the rise of a new cinematic format. True to its mission of experimenting with genre boundaries and embracing new media and technologies — from streaming platforms to AI-generated cinema—BIFAN expands its territory further by spotlighting short-form work this year.
The first notable piece is My Father’s Table, directed by LEE Joon-ik. The film tells the story of a father who begins cooking after his wife suddenly forgets her recipes, starring JUNG Jin-young, LEE Jung-eun, and BYUN Yo-han. Another featured work is Lovely Death by LEE Wonsuk follows people who choose death but find themselves unable to die, with SIM Ja-yun in the lead role. Both films will make their world premiere at BIFAN in vertical format, offering audiences a new theatrical viewing experience.
¡ãStill from left: My Father's Table, Lovely Death
The other two films were originally released on streaming platforms as vertical short-form dramas but have been re-edited into horizontal feature-length versions. KIM Sung-ho’s WIND UP : THE MOVIE is a drama set within a high school baseball team, starring JENO and JAEMIN of the K-pop boy group NCT. After-School Exorcism Club: Girls’ Night, directed by music video veteran JUNG Zoo, follows students protecting their high school from mysterious supernatural events. The starring members of the K-pop girl group FIFTY FIFTY will visit BIFAN to hold a Q&A session.
¡ãStill from left: WIND UP : THE MOVIE, After-School Exorcism Club: Girls’ Night
Under the Strange Hommage section, BIFAN presents French Time in Philosophical Sci-Fi, a special showcase of five films. Marking both the 30th anniversary of BIFAN and the 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic relations, the program reflects on the accumulation of time and nostalgia for the past.
When "time" serves as a cinematic theme, it is often intertwined with the sci-fi genre. In the context of French culture and cinema, this has been uniquely modified, giving rise to a uniquely philosophical and aesthetically rich tradition of French sci-fi. The lineup begins with René LALOUX’s animated feature, Fantastic Planet (1973), winner of the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, renowned for its radically distinctive drawing style and color palette. Luc BESSON’s directorial debut, The Last Battle (1983) unfolds against a dystopian future, told almost entirely through action with barely any dialogue, offering a glimpse into the raw beginnings of a French genre master.
¡ãStill from left: Fantastic Planet, The Last Battle
Marc CARO and Jean-Pierre JEUNE’s The City of Lost Children (1995) is another must-see. This grotesque visual fantasy opened the Cannes Film Festival in the centenary year of cinema. The most recent title, After Blue (2021), is a bizarre futuristic tale about a planet where only women can survive, which won the Special Jury Prize at the Sitges Film Festival. This special program is supported by the France en Corée Service culturel. A companion booklet will be produced and distributed free of charge to audiences attending these screenings.
¡ãStill from left: The City of Lost Children, After Blue
With its uniquely curated and richly layered programs, the 30th BIFAN will kick off on July 2 and run until July 12 across various venues in Bucheon City.
¡á Lineup of Fanta-scape, Platform Special Screening: Short-form Cinema
| |
Title |
Director |
Country |
Year |
| 1 |
After-School Exorcism Club: Girls' Night |
JUNG Zoo |
Korea |
2026 |
| 2 |
Lovely Death |
LEE Wonsuk |
Korea |
2026 |
| 3 |
My Father's Table |
LEE Joon-ik |
Korea |
2026 |
| 4 |
WIND UP : THE MOVIE |
KIM Sung-ho |
Korea |
2026 |
*Alphabetical order
¡á Lineup of Strange Hommage, French Time in Philosophical Sci-Fi
| |
Title |
Director |
Country |
Year |
| 1 |
Fantastic Planet |
René LALOUX |
France, Czechoslovakia |
1973 |
| 2 |
The Last Battle |
Luc BESSON |
France |
1983 |
| 3 |
The City of Lost Children |
Marc CARO, Jean-Pierre JEUNET |
France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, USA |
1995 |
| 4 |
After Blue |
Bertrand MANDICO |
France |
2021 |
*By year
¡á Festival Overview
▪ Title: 30th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival
▪ Date: July 2 (Thu) – July 12 (Sun), 2026, (11 days)
▪ Type: Non-competitive international film festival introducing partial competition
▪ Main Theaters: Bucheon City Hall, Korean Manhwa Museum, CGV Sopung, LOTTE Cinema Bucheon, Bucheon Art Bunker B39
Please contact the BIFAN PR Team for more details.
E. press@bifan.kr | M. +82-10-7367-6313 | T. +82-32-327-6313(135, 140)