Asia's highest-profile project market, the PusanPromotion Plan (PPP), has unveiled a record 27 projects that will be introducedto potential co-producers and financiers at the upcoming Pusan InternationalFilm Festival.

Held from October 10-12, this year's PPP will includevarious projects in development or pre-production including The War MovieProject, a big-budget WWII film set in the Philippines by Japanese cultdirector Shinya Tsukamoto; Opium War, a film about two US soldiersstranded in Afghanistan by Golden Globe-winning director Siddiq Barmak (Osama);Neon Glows In Myanmar, a Hong Kong-set film by acclaimed director FruitChan; and Beautiful, a project about a woman driven to mental illness byaward-winning Korean filmmaker Kim Ki-duk.

Other highlights include Dooman River, a filmabout North Korean refugees by rising Chinese-Korean director Chang Lu (GrainIn Ear), Taiwanese film From Latitude 5 N to 20 S about an elderlybillionaire who travels alone to a South American rainforest by LIN Chen-sheng,who won the Berlinale Silver Bear in 2001 for Betelnut Beauty; and Pajuby South Korean director Park Chan-ok, who won the VPRO Tiger Award atRotterdam in 2003 for her debut film Jealousy Is My Middle Name.

A variety of cash awards will be available to selectedPPP winners. However, the chance to meet with prospective financiers fromaround the world during the busy three-day event is considered by most to bethe more valuable opportunity.

Since its launch in 1998, the PPP has grown to becomethe business epicentre of the Pusan fest, drawing participation from majorcompanies across the world including the Hollywood majors.

As of August 2005, 43% of past PPP projects have goneon to reach completion or are currently in production, with many scooping upawards at major international festivals.

In addition to the 27 official projects, six works bydebut Korean directors will be highlighted in a separate New Directors In Focusprogram, with local production house LJ Films guaranteeing production to oneselected project.

2005 Pusan Promotion Plan, projects

1. 3 Days To Forever (Indonesia), Riri RIZA

2. Beautiful (S Korea), KIM Ki-duk

3. Broken Piece Of Mirror (S Korea), HONGKi-seon

4. Butterfly (Taiwan), CHANG Tso-chi

5. Dooman River (Korea-China), CHANG Lu

6. Eventful Life Blues (Japan), Mipo O

7. Fairy Tale Of A Picture Tree (S Korea), LEEKwang-mo

8. Fallen From The Sky (Sri Lanka-France),Vimukthi JAYASUNDARA

9. Family (Kazakh-Russia-Fr), Marat SARULU

10. From Latitude 5 N to 20 S (Taiwan), LINCheng-sheng

11. The Harvest (China), HE Jianjun

12. Heartbreak Pavilion (Thai), TunskaPANSITTIVORAKUL, Sompot CHIDGASORNPNGSE

13. The Legend Of Sandalwood (India), ArindamMITRA

14. Neon Glows In Myanmar (HK), Fruit CHAN

15. Opium War (Afghanistan-Iran), Siddiq BARMAK

16. Our Friends (Laos-France), Som OckSOUTHIPHONH

17. Paju (S Korea), PARK Chan-ok

18. Parental Guidance (HK), WONG Ching-po, LEEKung Lok

19. Poets (China), LIU Hao

20. Prison Hotel (S Korea), KIM Soo-hyun

21. Pure Coolness (Kyrgystan), ErnestABDYJAPAROV

22. Raised From Dust (China), GAN Xiao'er

23. Shame (Pakistan-US), Mohammed NAQVI

24. To Get To Heaven First You Have To Die(Tajikistan-Fr), Djamshed USMONOV

25. Treeless Mountain (Korea-US), Kim So-yong

26. Turkish Coffee (Iran), Mohsen ABOLVAHAB

27. The War Movie Project (Japan), ShinyaTSUKAMOTO