28th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN, Festival Director SHIN Chul) has selected Esper's Light by JUNG Jae-hoon as one of the film projects to be presented at the ‘Fantastic 7 of Cannes' Marché du Film' during this year's Cannes Film Festival. The director will pitch his project to international film professionals at the Cannes Film Market on May 19.
‘Fantastic 7 of Cannes' Marché du Film' is a program of the Cannes Film Market to foster genre films. Esper's Light follows the adventures of a group of Korean teenagers gathered in an online community, creating three fantasy worlds by themselves. In 2021, the project was invited to BIFAN's NAFF Project Spotlight Korea, where it received the ‘Korean Discovery Award'.
BIFAN programmer MO Eunyoung, who is in charge of the ‘Fantastic 7 of Cannes' Marché du Film' selection, praised the project, saying: “By intersecting the daily lives of Korean teenagers with the online reenactment of their fantasies, Esper's Light demonstrates the potential of an infinite expansion beyond the boundaries of genre and media, reality and imaginary.” “JUNG Jae-hoon's project will become a challenge as it shows deep introspection and an aesthetic world transcending between documentary and fiction,” the programmer explained the jury's judgement.
‘Fantastic 7 of Cannes' Marché du Film' is an initiative launched by the Cannes Film Market in 2019. Its goal is to build a network among international genre film festivals, promote the advancement of genre films, and nurture international emerging talents. BIFAN is one of the seven film festivals that came together under ‘Fantastic 7 of Cannes' Marché du Film', along with Sitges, South by Southwest, Guadalajara, New Zealand, Cairo, and the Tallinn Black Nights. Projects selected by the seven genre film festivals get automatic access to the Cannes Film Market, providing an opportunity to be presented to international film professionals. This year's Cannes Film Market will be held for nine days, from May 14 to 22, during the Cannes Film Festival (May 14 to 25). The director and the producer of the selected ‘Fantastic 7 of Cannes' Marché du Film' project will participate in pitching events, business meetings, and networking events such as the Fantastic Mixer during the film market.
Since 2019, BIFAN has selected one genre film project per year to be supported for pitching at the ‘Fantastic 7 of Cannes' Marché du Film'. In 2019, Superpower Girl by KIM Sooyoung, in 2020, ILLICIT by KANG Minji, in 2021, Lay the Ghost by YU Eunjung, in 2022, Seoul Horror Story by KIM Hyunjin, and in 2023, The Fin by PARK Syeyeong were selected. The selected project will be provided round-trip airfare and accommodation for two person (director/producer) and a market badge to participate in the Cannes Film Market. In addition, the Seoul Business Agency (SBA) will support the post-production of the project. The completed movie will be officially invited to be screened at BIFAN.
The 28th BIFAN will be held from July 4 to 14 in Bucheon City. Currently, the festival is open for submissions for features and shorts, for projects for its industry program ‘NAFF It Project', and for works for the XR section ‘Beyond Reality'.
■ Esper's Light
Director: JUNG Jae-hoon
Producer: KO Yoohee
Production Company: WALKING AHA
Genre: Teenager fantasy documentary
Synopsis:
Around ten teenagers live in a world where anyone can be whoever they want and create any story they wish. Amidst the pitch-black night of Lisan City, Alstroemeria Forest, and Ashua Island, their imagined stories flow through myriad choices, seeking out faint glimmers of light.
