Film director Na Hong-jin expressed his feelings about serving as the jury president of the newly established competitive institutional sector at the 30th Busan International Film Festival.
On the morning of the 18th at the Busan Cinema Center, a press conference for the competitive jury of the 30th Busan International Film Festival (abbreviated 30th BIFF) was held. Under the moderation of chief programmer Park Ga-eon, jury president Na Hong-jin and Yang Ka-hui, Nandita Das, Marzie Meshgini, Kogonada, Yulia Evina Bahara, and Han Hyo-joo attended.
This year at the Busan International Film Festival, a competitive institutional sector was established for the first time. Director Na Hong-jin served as jury president, and Chinese actor Yang Ka-hui, Indian director and actor Nandita Das, Iranian director Marzie Meshgini, American director Kogonada, Indonesian producer Yulia Evina Bahara, and Korean actor Han Hyo-joo served as jurors to carry out the judging.
Director Na Hong-jin said, "Honestly, I think I have a humble career, but Director Park Kwang-soo (chairman), who is also my mentor, kept urging me, so I ended up taking on the judging," expressing his sense of burden. He added, "I have also been making films over the past few years, but I want to sincerely convey my respect and thanks to the competition institutional sector films and the people involved who worked hard, completed their works, and submitted them. I will do my best in the judging."
He also said, "Also, I met them for the first time yesterday and only greeted them. It is a great honor to be together with our fellow jurors. I will do my best to produce results that befit the festival's reputation. I also sincerely thank the Busan International Film Festival for inviting me. I sincerely thank Chairman Park Kwang-soo."
In particular, Director Na Hong-jin said, "I feel burdened. It becomes big. I really did not want to do it. It felt too burdensome. Yesterday (the opening ceremony) I went up on stage; you know I haven't filmed a movie in a long time. I went on a stage like this for the first time in about 10 years, and I didn't know I had panic disorder. I don't know if it was panic, but I felt panic. It is too burdensome a position. What can I do? I have to do my best. Anyway, the festival has made a careful and important decision. It must succeed unconditionally. I will do my best. Thank you."
The Busan International Film Festival, continuing its status as Asia's premier film festival, on its 30th anniversary established a full-fledged competitive institutional sector that presents a new perspective on Asian films from an Asian viewpoint. This competitive institutional sector invited 14 major Asian works and will award the "Busan Award" in five institutional sector categories—grand prize, best director, jury special prize, best actor, and artistic contribution—with winners receiving a trophy designed by Thailand's world-renowned director and installation artist Apichatpong Weerasethakul.
[Photo] OSEN DB.
[OSEN]