This year’s Busan International Film Festival – one of the key players in the Asian film market and indicators of emerging Asian film talent – experimented with a hybrid approach akin to Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN). In-person theaters filled up at 25 percent capacity, requiring a strict set of health screenings and restrictions for all attendees. Online screenings remained – well – online, but — interestingly enough — multinational screenings were cast simultaneously. This allowed certain Q&As to be conducted in real-time, wherein Korean audiences could speak to international guests within theatres.
Though there are less awards than last year, Korean productions still dominate this year’s selections. Some familiar faces, like Lee Woo-jung — perhaps most famous for writing the hit nostalgia drama “Reply 1988” — has plucked a few awards for her new feature, “Snowball.” Cannes-repeat Jero Yun also returns with his first fictional feature, “FIGHTER.” Among the newcomers, Jung Wook‘s directorial debut “Good Person” has drawn some domestic acclaim.
However, a notable number of films – including Navid Mahmoudi‘s “Drowning in Holy Water,” Abbas Amini‘s “The Slaughterhouse,” and Mina Keshavarz‘s “The Art of Living in Danger” show a strong Iranian presence this year. Other Central Asian regions — including Mongolian-British coproduction “Mountain Cat” (Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir) and Kazakh-Korean-Uzbek “Three” (Pak Ruslan).
But without further ado, the awards in full:
1. New Currents Award
A Balance | HARUMOTO Yujiro | Japan
Three | PAK Ruslan | Kazakhstan/Korea/Uzbekistan
2. Kim Jiseok Award
Drowning in Holy Water | Navid MAHMOUDI | Afghanistan/Iran
The Slaughterhouse | Abbas AMINI | Iran
3. BIFF Mecenat Award
The Art of Living in Danger | Mina KESHAVARZ | Iran/Germany
Sister J | LEE Soojung | Korea
Special Mention: Self-portrait 2020 | LEE Dongwoo | Korea
4. Sonje Award
Georgia | Jayil PAK | Korea
Mountain Cat | Lkhagvadulam PUREV-OCHIR | Mongolia/United Kingdom
5. Actor & Actress of the Year Award
Our Joyful Summer Days | Jisoo | Korea
FIGHTER | LIM Seong-mi | Korea
6. Flash Forward Award
Tigers | Ronnie SANDAHL | Sweden/Italy/Denmark
7. FIPRESCI Award
Summer Blur | HAN Shuai | China
8. NETPAC Award
FIGHTER | Jéro YUN | Korea
9. DGK-MEGABOX Award
Young Adult Matters | LEE Hwan | Korea
Good Person | JUNG Wook | Korea
10. CGV Arthouse Award
Good Person | JUNG Wook | Korea
11. KTH Award
Snowball | LEE Woo-jung | Korea
Young Adult Matters | LEE Hwan | Korea
12. KBS Independent Film Award
LIMECRIME | LEE Seunghwan, YOO Jaewook | Korea
13. CGK&SamyangXEEN Award
Snowball | LEE Jae-u (Cinematography) | Korea
