The Pusan International FilmFestival (PIFF) is launching five film funds to invigorate Asian documentaryproduction.

Grouped under the title ofthe "Asian Network of Documentaries" (AND), the combined funds will award up to$50,000 to documentary filmmakers.

Four previously establisheddocumentary funds - the Youngsan Fund, Unikorea Fund, Kyungsung Fund andDongseo Asian Fund - will continue to provide support, bringing the total PIFFawards this year for long-form documentaries to approximately $100,000.

AND includes funds to beawarded to Asian and overseas Korean filmmakers, as well as a fund to beawarded to filmmakers from the Busan Metropolitan Cityand South Kyungsang Province area.

Winner of the 2004 YoungsanFund, Erotic Chaos Boy, went on to anofficial screening at the Buenos Aires film festival, and three of last year'sawardees, including Pilseung YoungYounseok, are currently in post-production and scheduled to screen at thisyear's PIFF.

Widely dubbed Asia's most dynamic film festival, PIFF also awards other funds and prizes,headed by the New Currents Award for the best first or second feature film byan Asian director.

In its 11th edition, PIFFwill run Oct 12-20, with parallel events PPP and BIFCOM being held under theumbrella of the inaugural Asian Film Market (Oct 15-18).