Pusan 2001

Abstract

PUSAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2001 Korean cinema officially came of age at the Sixth Pusan International Film Festival (9-17 November 2001) when all three international awards -- the New Currents Award, the FIPRESCI (International Critics) Award, and the NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) Award -- were given to Korean films over entries from other Asian countries. Among Pusan devotees, there had never been any doubt that Korean filmmakers commanded a front position in the ranks of Asian cinema. But when the awards were handed out on closing night in the brand new Busan Exhibition & Convention Centre (BEXCO), the flagship venue for festival galas, the triple honours seemed all the more appropriate. It was a tip of the hat as well to Kim Dong-ho, the charismatic director of the Pusan International Film Festival, who had guided PIFF to its present status as the finest showcase of...