Neil Jordan & Jim Sheridan join delegation of Irish filmmakers for spotlight on Irish cinema in South Korea
Cultural trade mission aims to raise the profile of Ireland, Irish culture and the Irish film industry in Korea and to the Asian market
A host of Irish filmmakers will travel to Korea to participate in a major international focus on Ireland and the Irish film industry at the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) from October 3rd–12th. Ireland has been selected as the National Cinema spotlight at the festival, which operates the ‘Asian Film Market’, one of the largest film markets in Asia; the delegation hopes to use this focus to raise the profile of the Irish film industry within Asia.
Award-winning directors Jordan and Sheridan will be honoured at a special hand-printing ceremony during the festival to mark their lifetime contribution to the international film industry. They will be joined by Irish actor Pat Shortt and directors Lance Daly, John Butler and Brendan Muldowney. The season will feature a total of 11 Irish films including Jim Sheridan’s In America and In the Name of the Father and Neil Jordan’s The Crying Game and Michael Collins, alongside the Academy Award winning Once and John Boorman’s The General. New films selected as part of the lineup include Life’s a Breeze, The Stag and Love Eternal.
Commenting on the event, James Hickey, Chief Executive Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board, said, “The Busan International Film Festival plays host to one of the most important film markets in Asia and the Irish contingent will meet with a wide range of international financiers, producers, sales agents and press there. This cultural trade mission aims to raise the profile of Ireland, Irish culture and the Irish film industry in Korea and to the Asian market. We are absolutely delighted that Ireland has been chosen for this honour and that we have such a strong delegation of Irish talent travelling to the festival.”
Jay Joen, Deputy Director of the Busan International Film Festival, said, "The Irish film industry has a strong international profile due to the reputation of its major directors. We are delighted to showcase Ireland, which is a country with a long history of culture and storytelling, at our festival in Korea. In doing this we have selected a wide range of film works from both established and new Irish directors."
The event is supported by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board, Culture Ireland, the Irish Embassy in Seoul, the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival and the Irish Film Institute.
For more information contact: Louise Ryan, Marketing and Communications Executive, Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board, T) +353 86-329-7819 / louise.ryan@irishfilmboard.ie
The full line up of films playing at the festival is as follows:
Garage (2007) | Director: Lenny Abrahamson
Love Eternal (2013) | Director: Brendan Muldowney
Life's a Breeze (2013) | Director: Lance Daly
The Stag (2013) | Director: John Butler
Leo the Last (1970) | Director: John Boorman
The Crying Game (1992) | Director: Neil Jordan
In the Name of the Father (1993) | Director: Jim Sheridan
Michael Collins (1996) | Director: Neil Jordan
The General (1998) | Director: John Boorman
In America (2002) | Director: Jim Sheridan
Once (2006) | Director: John Carney