{"id":3684,"date":"2016-10-05T22:29:11","date_gmt":"2016-10-05T20:29:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.queerlion.it\/en\/?p=3684"},"modified":"2018-07-08T15:29:13","modified_gmt":"2018-07-08T13:29:13","slug":"variety-busan-european-film-promotion-brings-key-talent-films-to-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.queerlion.it\/en\/variety-busan-european-film-promotion-brings-key-talent-films-to-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"Usa, Variety: European Film Promotion Brings Key Talent, Films to Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson presents his coming-of-age Icelandic drama \u201cHeartstone,\u201d which nabbed this year\u2019s Queer Lion Award in Venice<\/em><\/p>\n

European Film Promotion is back at the Busan Film Festival this year with 18 filmmakers and actors in tow as part of its wide-ranging efforts to boost European cinema in Asia.<\/p>\n

EFP, which comprises film organizations from 37 countries, has been promoting European film at the Korean fest for nearly two decades through its aptly named Opening Doors program. The organization, which promotes European cinema and talent around the world, sees Busan as one of the main gateways to the Asian market.<\/p>\n

EFP president Martin Schweighofer says: the \u201cprogram has been fine-tuned over the years and proven very helpful for the participants. With EFP\u2019s many years of experience and profound knowledge of the festival and the Asian Film Market, Opening Doors provides a very stimulating environment for the introduction of new film talent at the festival as well as for films on the market.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 18 filmmakers and actors attending the event this year hail from 13 different countries and are attending the event with the support of EFP\u2019s respective members. In addition, 36 European sales agents will set up shop at EFP\u2019s expansive European Umbrella at the mart.<\/p>\n

As part of its events this year, EFP will introduce European film talent to Korean auds, hold a dinner for participants and selected journalists and organize networking meetings between sales reps and Asian buyers.<\/p>\n

In addition, EFP\u2019s Film Sales Support (FSS) initiative provides financial aid to European sales companies to market their films internationally, from producing promotional material to organizing market screenings. According to FSS project director Susanne Davis, it covers 50% of marketing costs, averaging \u20ac2,500 ($2,792) per film for a maximum of two films per company.<\/p>\n

Among the 13 filmmakers joining EFP at Busan with their films are German helmer Johannes Naber, Greek director Yannis Sakaridis, Virgil Widrich of Austria, Britain\u2019s Bill Clark, Caterina Carone of Italy and Lithuania\u2019s Andrius Blazevicius.<\/p>\n

Making its world premiere in the Open Cinema section is Naber\u2019s \u201cHeart of Stone,\u201d the latest adaptation of Wilhelm Hauff\u2019s fairytale about a poor charcoal burner who sells his heart for great wealth. German helmer Paul Verhoeven\u2019s 1950 classic was East Germany\u2019s first color film.<\/p>\n

Sakaridis\u2019 \u201cAmerika Square,\u201d which examines the impact of the current immigration crisis on various lives in Athens, and Widrich\u2019s \u201cNight of a 1000 Hours,\u201d a supernatural black comedy about a wealthy family haunted by ghosts of the past, are having their world premieres in Busan\u2019s Flash Forward sidebar.<\/p>\n

Also unspooling in the section are Clark\u2019s fact-based drama \u201cStarfish,\u201d about a young family facing a harrowing challenge; Carone\u2019s \u201cFr\u00e4ulein: A Winter Tale,\u201d a relationship drama set against a freak solar storm; and Blazevicius\u2019 contemporary drama \u201cThe Saint.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition, Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson presents his coming-of-age Icelandic drama \u201cHeartstone,\u201d which nabbed this year\u2019s Queer Lion Award in Venice; <\/strong>Jonas Trueba brings his Spanish work \u201cThe Reconquest,\u201d about two teenage lovers trying to reunite after 15 years; and Tobias Noelle will introduce his Swiss private eye drama \u201cAloys.\u201d<\/p>\n

European sales companies are expecting to meet enthusiastic distributors as Busan offers an ideal platform to reach Korean and Asian buyers. \u201cOn average, almost 40% of the films which receive Film Sales Support from EFP to boost marketing campaigns at the Asian Film Market are sold to Asia every year,\u201d says EFP managing director Renate Rose.<\/p>\n

Schweighofer points out that while domestic films dominate South Korea\u2019s box office, followed by U.S. blockbusters, \u201cthe third place in the Korean cinemas belongs solidly to European films.\u201d It nevertheless \u201cremains imperative to cultivate the appreciation of European cinema\u201d with events such as those taking place in Busan, he adds.<\/p>\n

The most successful European films in South Korea this year included John Carney\u2019s \u201cSing Street\u201d; Jaco Van Dormael\u2019s Belgian comedy \u201cThe Brand New Testament\u201d; Hannes Holm\u2019s Swedish comedy-drama \u201cA Man Called Ove\u201d; and Julia von Heinz\u2019s German comedy \u201cI\u2019m Off Then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last year a wide range of European titles sold not only to South Korea but also to Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. They included Rene Feret\u2019s \u201cAnton Chekhov 1890,\u201d Aron Lehmann\u2019s \u201cHighway to Hellas,\u201d David Farr\u2019s \u201cThe Ones Below,\u201d Antti J. Jokinen\u2019s \u201cThe Midwife,\u201d Anders Thomas Jensen\u2019s \u201cMen & Chicken,\u201d and Alvaro Longoria\u2019s \u201cThe Propaganda Game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Variety<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0Ed Meza<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gudmundur Arnar Gudmundsson presents his coming-of-age Icelandic drama \u201cHeartstone,\u201d which nabbed this year\u2019s Queer Lion Award in Venice European Film Promotion is back at…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3691,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[421],"tags":[490,489,501,139],"class_list":["post-3684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-press-review","tag-busan","tag-european-film-promotion","tag-hearstone","tag-venice","post-item","post-even"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t