Busan is good

Iran's acclaimed director Abbas Kiarostami is to lead the Asian Film Academy this year

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The AFA 2010 finalized its faculty members: Abbas KIAROSTAMI (the dean), OGIGANAMI Naoko as the directing mentor, and KIM Hyung-gu as the cinematography mentor.

 

The Asian Film Academy (AFA) has announced its 6th year members of faculty today. So far, AFA’s deans have been HOU Hsiao Hsien, IM Kown-taek, KUROSAWA Kiyoshi and Mohsen MAKHMALBAF. As one of the directors who shaped the history of Asian cinema, it is natural to see KIAROSTAMI appointed as the dean. His film Where is the Friend’s Home? (1987) has gained international recognition when it was awarded with the Bronze Leopard of the Locarno International Film Festival. Started his career as a film director in Tehran in the 1960s and he has been consistent in producing many notable films ever since the success at Locarno. At the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, KIAROSTAMI once again surprised the world with his film Certified Copy (2010) which Juliette Binoche won the award for Best Actress.

 

Well known for the film Kamome Shodoku (2006) OGIGAMI Naoko, the directing mentor is the first female director at the AFA. Having established her film career only in 2000, OGIGAMI’s works have captivated the juries’ attention at many of the world’s top film festivals. She said that she is an ardent fan of KIAROSTAMI and is looking forward to working with him as much as the students who are assigned.

 

It will be thrilling for this year's students at the AFA to have KIM Hyung-gu (who is renowned as one of the best cinematographers in Korea) as their cinematography mentor. KIM’s cinematographic styles were favored by Korea’s top directors such as BONG Jun-ho, HONG Sang-su, and LEE Chang-dong. As well as a professor at the Korean National University of Arts, it is highly anticipated that KIM will introduce the techniques of creating aesthetics through the lens as well as open the window of present Korean cinema to the nominated students who will become the future leaders of Asian cinema.

 

The Asian Film Academy, in cooperation with the Pusan International Film Festival and Dongseo University was established in 2005. Since then, the AFA has produced 123 graduates from 24 different Asian countries. Along with BOO Jun-feng whose work Sandcastle (2010) was invited to the Cannes Film Festival in 2010, many graduates from AFA are seen as rising Asian film directors after having their features invited to Rotterdam, Berlinale, and Cannes. 

 

This year the AFA will run from September 30th until October 16th for 17 days with 24 students from 16 different countries. Under the constructive guidelines from the mentors and the dean, the programs are especially designed to focus on teaching and sharing knowledge on the present film production environment and philosophy. There will be workshops, a master class, mentoring, and special seminars.