Born in Tokyo in 1981, filmmaker Tetsuya Mariko began his creative journey making short films while studying at Hosei University. Early works such as The Far East Apartment (2003) and Mariko’s 30 Pirates (2004) earned him early awards, with the latter winning the Grand Prix at the Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival. His debut feature,…
Category: Film events and festivals
Jia Zhangke and the Pingyao International Film Festival
Jia Zhangke is a name inseparable from contemporary cinema, especially this year. Over the past few months, he has appeared at major festivals worldwide, championing cross-cultural exchange: first the Taipei Film Festival in June, then Venice in August, Busan in mid-September, and finally his own Pingyao International Film Festival (PYIFF) at the end of the…
30th Busan International Film Festival: In Conversation with Frederik Sølberg, Director of “Hana Korea”
Frederik Sølberg is a Danish filmmaker whose work connects the worlds of documentary and narrative cinema, exploring stories that illuminate human identity and belonging. He is known for his careful attention to detail and for bringing real-life experiences to the screen. Fifteen years ago, a first visit to South Korea left an impression on Sølberg….
30th Busan International Film Festival: “I Only Rest in the Storm” Review
Pedro Pinho’s I Only Rest in the Storm is a hypnotic and textured look at power, identity, and longing, set in a tense West African city. The film follows Sergio, an environmental engineer working on a controversial road between the desert and the forest, as it explores the tangled realities of neo-colonialism, expat privilege, and relationships in…
30th Busan International Film Festival: “Shape of Momo” Review
Shown at this year’s Busan International Film Festival, Tribeny Rai’s debut feature, Shape of Momo, is a wonderful piece of writing. A powerful film that listens closely to the hidden struggles of women living within the limits of tradition. The narrative centres on Bishnu, a 32-year-old who abandons her city job and returns to her…
Sylvia CHANG Receives BIFF x CHANEL 2025 Camellia Award at the 30th Busan International Film Festival
Taiwanese filmmaker Sylvia Chang has been awarded the 2025 Camellia Award for her groundbreaking contributions across generations and roles, paving the way for Asian women in cinema. The Camellia Award, presented by CHANEL in partnership with the Busan International Film Festival, honors women whose cultural and artistic impact shapes the film industry. At the 30th…
30th Busan International Film Festival: “Dear Stranger” Review
Tetsuya Mariko’s Dear Stranger begins not with the disappearance of a child, but with the erosion of a marriage. Kenji (Hidetoshi Nishijima: Drive My Car, Serpent’s Path), a Japanese architecture professor in New York, and Jane (Gwei Lun-Mei: The Wild Goose Lake), a Taiwanese-American puppeteer who has put her art aside to raise their young…
European Women Filmmakers Take Stage at the 30th Busan International Film Festival
European Film Promotion (EFP), a consortium of 37 national film organizations, is devoted to bringing the richness of European cinema and its creators to the attention of the international film industry and press. This year in Busan, EFP will back 69 European titles invited to the festival, alongside the participation of 19 global distributors connected…
BFI London Film Festival 2025: A Strong Year for Asian Cinema
The 2025 BFI London Film Festival has announced a particularly rich programme, one that emphasising its role as a global event for daring, ambitious as well as diverse cinema. Among the many highlights, Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice is probably one of the year’s most anticipated Gala selections. The darkly comic thriller follows a desperate…
82nd Venice Film Festival: “Praying Mantis” Review
Praying Mantis is an 18-minute hand-drawn animation short film co-directed by Hong Kong director Yonfan and Taiwanese filmmaker Joe Hsieh, breaking his six-year silence. The film merges Yonfan’s expertise in portraying complex female characters with Hsieh’s recurring motifs of lust and death, telling the story of a mother who sacrifices herself entirely for her child…
VIEW OF THE ARTS 