Presenting The Kinder Programmer: 

The Kinder Programmer is a project designed to bring to our audience members and subscribers recommendations from this year's selection, hand-picked by BIFF's very own programmers.

Programmer  PARK Sun Young

 

Hello! Just as the stifling heat of the summer starts to fade and a hint of coolness weaves into the breeze, I find myself once again writing my manuscript for ‘The Kinder Programmer.’ I am Park Sun Young, a programmer in my sixth year, feeling the change in seasons through the rhythm of festival deadlines. I am in charge of films from the Chinese-language region, South Asia, and Central Asia. I have come across so many excellent films this year and carefully selected 31 films out of them. In particular, many films by female directors in Asia will be featured, and I can guarantee you will enjoy discovering the diverse range of genres directed by women in New Currents, Jiseok, On Screen, Special Program in Focus section, and more.

All We Imagine as Light

Caught by the Tides

Black Dog

Santosh

Blue Sun Palace

Mongrel

In Retreat

Pierce

Second Chance

Pooja, Sir

To Kill a Mongolian Horse

Saba

Moreover, this year has been remarkable for the outstanding success of Asian films at major film festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival. Payal Kapadia’s debut feature and also the Grand Prix winner All We Imagine as Light, Jia Zhang-Ke’s beautiful epic Caught by the Tides, Un Certain Regard Award winner Guan Hu’s Black Dog, and Santosh, Blue Sun Palace, Mongrel, In Retreat have all been invited to Cannes Film Festival. Girls Will Be Girls, the winner of the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival; Fishbone, the winner of the Best Script Writer Award at the Asian New Talent Section at the Shanghai International Film Festival; Pierce, the winner of Best Director Award at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival; Second Chance, selected for Proxima Competition at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival; Pooja, Sir and To Kill a Mongolian Horse from Venice International Film Festival; and Saba from Toronto International Film Festival will all join us in Busan. 

While there are so many award-winning and invited films this year, numerous noteworthy newly-released features also exist. The films I will now introduce with excitement are those you will have the exclusive opportunity to discover first in Busan.

As the River Goes By

Montages of a Modern Motherhood

Abel

Firstly, for the New Currents section, which serves as a platform for discovering emerging Asian filmmakers, I have selected three standout films. As the River Goes By is a sensory film that delves into the lives of those engulfed by the trauma of loss, marking the debut of a promising new director. Montages of a Modern Motherhood portrays the dramatic transformation of a female pâtissier’s life after her childbirth, captured through a meticulous and tenacious narrative. Abel from Kazakhstan features a breathtaking 13-minute and 30-second long take in its opening sequence. The story is compelling in its execution, strikingly alternating between calm and intense moments.

Village Rockstars 2

Yen and Ai-Lee

Deal at the Border

The Jiseok section was created to remember and honor the late BIFF Program Director Kim Jiseok, who passed away in 2017. This section focuses on the latest works from established Asian filmmakers: Village Rockstars 2, directed by Rima Das, renowned globally for Village Rockstars (2017), and Bulbul Can Sing (2018), captures teenage Dhunu through a blend of realism and lyrical cinematography. Tom Lin Shu-Yu’s Yen and Ai-Lee depicts the strained and enduring relationship between a mother and daughter, amplified by the powerful performances of Yang Kuei-Mei and Hsia Kimi. Dastan Zhapar Ryskeldi’s Deal at the Border portrays a series of events experienced by a drug smuggler operating in the border area. This film is genre-driven yet captivates with its restrained dialogue and striking composition.

Girls Will Be Girls

Fishbone

I Am the Secret in Your Heart

The Uniform

City of Wind

Next, five films are introduced in this year’s Special Program in Focus, ‘Teen Spirit, Teen Movie.’ Among them, the aforementioned Girls Will Be Girls explores the subtle relationships between the 16-year-old daughter, her mother, and the daughter’s boyfriend. Kani Kusruti, who also stars in All We Imagine as Light, delivers an exceptional performance as the mother. Fishbone depicts a vibrant eighteen-year-old girl named Li Qi during one summer, with its intricate narrative and character interactions being particularly captivating. I Am the Secret in Your Heart embodies everything about the Taiwanese youth film genre, from cuteness to loveliness and reminiscence. The cast includes Tsao Yu Ning, Lee Moon, and SHOU of the Taiwanese boy band W0LF(S). World premiere The Uniform from Taiwan evokes nostalgia for the 1990s, set against the backdrop of a night school. It showcases a fresh and heartfelt coming-of-age drama starring promising new actors, including Chen Yan-fei, who won Best New Performer at the Golden Horse Awards. Last year’s highly acclaimed film City of Wind, which won Best Actor at the Orizzonti section, will also be featured again in this section.

State of Statelessness

Sad Letters of an Imaginary Woman

Blue Sea

Travesty

Born for the Spotlight

Moving on, next, we have world premiere films from A Window on Asian Cinema section. State of Statelessness is an omnibus film about diaspora Tibetans from Vietnam, India, and the United States. Major Tibetan artists have collaborated to create a beautiful state of statelessness imbued with nostalgia. Sad Letters of an Imaginary Woman received this year’s ACF Post-Production Fund. Its opening scene— where the protagonist slowly moves through a room, capturing every sound with a boom mic— is particularly distinctive. Blue Sea portrays a mother and daughter’s journey to embrace their pain and loss through heartwarming landscapes. The Mongolian film Travesty is intriguingly captivating. It depicts the story of detectives in a small town during a hostage crisis, with its genre-driven, politically charged, and visually striking elements drawing attention. There is also a series first introduced as a world premiere: Born for the Spotlight. Born for the Spotlight is a 12-episode drama series from Taiwan; this backstage drama showcases a vibrant array of unique and lively female characters and the strong solidarity among them.

Soldier of Love

Land of Broken Hearts

We have international premieres as well. Kazakhstan’s Soldier of Love tells the story of a free-spirited musician and his devoted wife. What makes this film truly special is that it is a musical film. The mesmerizing group dance scene is truly unforgettable. Indeed, the performance scenes are simply stunning! An equally unforgettable scene appears in Land of Broken Hearts. This film is a twisted take on The Truman Show (1998), where real aliens cheer on the protagonist’s love story, sending balloons and bubbles flying along with background music. This scene will bring a smile to your face.

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