The Asian FilmAcademy (AFA) has announced master Korean cineaste ImKwon-taek as this year's dean for the TalentCampus-style intensive program for young filmmakers from Asia.

In its secondyear, AFA is co-hosted by the Pusan InternationalFilm Festival, the Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA), and Dongseo University. The event, aimed at creating a pan-Asiannetworking hub for young filmmakers with international potential, will takeplace in Pusan from Sept 19 to Oct 20, for three weeksaround the Pusan International Film Festival.

Cannes award winner Im is currently working on his100th film Cheon-nyunhak.Also known as One Thousand Year Crane,the film was recently picked up for international sales by Wild Bunch.

Im succeeds last year's dean, Taiwanesedirector Hou Hsiao Hsien. AFA's inaugural edition faculty was rounded out by Nonzee Nimibutr from Thailand, Yu Lik-waifrom China, and Park Ki-Yong andHwang Ki-seok from Korea.

This year saw 143candidates apply to AFA 2006, which has selected 24 fellows representing 19countries.

They will beinstructed this year by a faculty made up of director DarezhanOmirbayev from Kazakhstan; veteran cinematographer from Japan Takama Kenji; Korean director BaeChang-ho; and cinematographer Pak Giung from Korea.

KAFA, anaffiliated film school of the Korean Film Council, andDongseo University award scholarships to a number of AFAalumni at the end of the course. Beneficiaries of the scholarships attendKorean language courses for six months before they join a regular course ofeither KAFA or Dongseo's School of Visual Communication for a year, all expenses paid.