The 10th edition of
With 5,000 spectators seatedin front of a massive outdoor screen, the event featured fireworks, a surpriseperformance by pan-Asian pop phenom BoA and a string of local stars such as LeeByung-heon (A Bittersweet Life), Ha Ji-won (Duelist) and KimHee-sun (The Myth).
Other Asian stars putting inan appearance included Jackie Chan, Taiwanese star Vivian Hsu and Japaneseheartthrob Satoshi Tsumabuki. During thecourse of the festival, a record 80 actors are scheduled to be in attendance.
Capping the festivities wasopening night film Three Times by Taiwanese auteur Hou Hsiao-Hsien,which played to a more subdued reception from the mostly young crowd. The supposed third and final version of thefilm was also judged by observers to be "almost indistinguishable" fromprevious cuts that screened at
Over the coming days PIFFwill feature a record 307 films including 62 world premieres, with a strongfocus on Asian arthouse cinema.
Industry events such asproject market the Pusan Promotion Plan (PPP) and the Busan International FilmCommission & Industry Showcase will also attract an estimated 300 companiesfrom 30 countries, including New Line Cinema, the Weinstein Company, LionsGate, Focus Features, Wild Bunch, and Celluloid Dreams.
A small number of marketscreenings will also take place, amidst hints that the festival may launch afull-fledged market in coming years.
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