Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival Explained

Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival
Founded:	1997
Last:	2023
Host:	BIFAN Organizing Committee
Location:	Bucheon, South Korea
Language:	Korean English
Next:	28th
Main:	Current: 27th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival
Previous:	26th

The Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, or BiFan, formerly known as Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival or PiFan, is an international film festival held annually in July in Bucheon, South Korea. Inaugurated in 1997, the festival focuses on South Korean and international horror, thriller, mystery and fantasy films, with particular attention to Asian cinema from East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is a non-competitive international film festival, with partial competition, awarding a number of awards.

History

The inaugural festival was held in 1997. Until 2015, it was known as the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival, or PiFan.^[1]

The festival faced a boycott in 2005 to protest what was seen by critics as meddling by Bucheon mayor Hong Geon-pyo. A rival event called RealFanta was organized that year on the same dates as BiFan by former festival director Kim Hong-joon. The festival returned in 2006 without any dispute under the direction of veteran filmmaker Lee Jang-ho and a new programming team.^[2]

Since then, editions of the festival have included the following:

• The 11th edition of PiFan, held from 12 to 24 July 2007, featured 225 films from 33 countries.
• The 12th edition of PiFan was held from 18 July to 27 July 2008.
• The 18th edition of PiFan was held from 17 July to 27 July 2014, featuring 210 films from 47 countries.
• The 19th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan) took place from 16 to 26 July 2015, with a change of name. It showcased 235 films from 45 countries.^[3]
• The 20th edition of BiFan took place from 21 to 31 July 2016. It showcased 320 films from 49 countries.^[4]
• The 21st edition of BiFan was held from 13 July to 23 July 2017. It featured 289 films from 58 countries.^[5]
• The 22nd edition of BiFan was held from 12 July to 22 July 2018. It featured 290 films from 53 countries.^[6]
• The 23rd edition of BiFan took place from June 27 to 7 July 2019. It featured 299 films from 54 countries (166 Features, 133 Shorts).^{[7] [8]}
• The 24th edition of BiFan took place from July 9 to 16, 2020. It featured 194 films from 42 countries.^{[9] [10]}
• The 25th edition of BiFan was held from 8 to 18 July 2021. It featured 257 films from 47 countries. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea, it was held in a hybrid format (online and offline) at five different locations, including Oul Madang and CGV Picnic.^[11] As per quarantine guidelines for COVID-19 containment, online screening of 154 films (61 feature films, 93 short films), which is about 60 % of the entire film festival were open to view on WAAVE over-the-top (OTT) service.^[12]
• The 26th edition of BiFan was held from 7 to 17 July 2022. It featured 268 films from 49 countries.^[13] From this edition a new award titled as 'Series Film Award' was started. The first Series Film Award was awarded to Squid Game.^[14]
• The 27th edition of BiFan was held from 29 June to 9 July 2023. It featured 262 films from 51 countries. Closing ceremony, hosted by Jo Sung-ha and Ye Ji-won was held on July 7 at Bucheon City Hall Main Theater.^[15] Bucheon Choice: Feature was awarded to The Witchcraft by Christopher Murray.^[16]

Program

The festival's programming consists of following sections:

• Opening film
• Bucheon Choice
  • Bucheon Choice Features
  • Bucheon Choice: Shorts 1 Edit
  • Bucheon Choice: Shorts 2
• Korean Fantastic
  • Korean Fantastic: Competition
  • Korean Fantastic: Features
  • Korean Fantastic: Shorts
• World Fantastic Red
• World Fantastic Blue
• Family Zone
• Forbidden Zone
• Strange Hommage
• Fantastic Short Films
• Vertical Short Film Special Screening: 25
• BIFAN x wavve Online Screening

Awards

The festival is a non-competitive international film festivals with partial competition. It gives away following awards:^[17]

• Bucheon Choice: It is the international competition section of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. It offers these awards:
  • Bucheon Choice Feature:
  • Best Picture (Award of KRW 20 million)
  • Director Award (5 million won in prize money)
  • Special Jury Prize (5 million won in prize money)
  • Featured Audience Award
• Bucheon Choice: Short
  • Best Short Film (5 million won in prize money)
  • Short Film Jury Award (3 million won in prize money)
  • Short Audience Award
• Korean Fantastic: This is a domestic competition section for the Korean films.
• Korean Fantastic: Feature
  • Korean Fantastic Film Award (20 million won in prize money)
  • Korean Fantastic Director Award (5 million won in prize money)
  • Korean Fantastic Actor Award (2 people)
  • Korean Fantastic Audience Award
  • NH Agricultural Negotiation (distribution support award, 10 million won)
  • CGV Award (Distribution Support Award, 10 million won)
  • Best Feature Award (2 films, 5 million won each)
• Korean Fantastic: Short
  • Korean Fantastic Short Film Award (5 million won in prize money)
  • Korean Fantastic Short Audience Award
  • Best Short Film that Watcha noticed (5 episodes, 1 million won each)
• Méliès International Film Festival Federation (MIFF) Asian Film Award: This award is given for the purpose of discovering and promoting Asian fantastic genre films.
• NETPAC award: This award is awarded by Netpack, the Asian Film Promotion Organization.
• Odd Family Award: Instituted from 26th edition, it is awarded to the Best Film from the 'Odd Family section' by BIFAN Strange Children Jury, composed of children of Bucheon City.
• Series Film Award: Instituted from 26th edition, it is awarded to the best drama series.

See also

• European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation
• List of festivals in South Korea
• List of festivals in Asia

Other genre film festivals

• Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Film
• Dead by Dawn, Edinburgh, Scotland
• Fantafestival, Rome, Italy
• Fantasporto, Portugal
• Fantasia International Film Festival, Montreal, Canada
• Fantastic Fest, Austin, Texas, U.S.
• International Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival, Tempe, Arizona, U.S.
• New York City Horror Film Festival, U.S.
• Screamfest Horror Film Festival, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
• Sitges Film Festival, Spain
• Toronto After Dark Film Festival, Canada
• TromaDance, New York, U.S.

Notes and References

1. News: 18th PiFan opens with Stereo, Producers' Choice Awards . Screen Daily . Jean Noh . July 18, 2014 . July 18, 2021 . July 18, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210718113107/https://www.screendaily.com/news/18th-pifan-opens-with-stereo-/5075321.article . live .
2. Web site: Fest tries to regain fantastic rep . Paquet . Darcy . . 2006-05-14 . 2007-07-12 . 2007-05-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070530012124/http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117943178.html?categoryid=1442&cs=1 . live .
3. Web site: Antoine Bardou-Jacquet's MOONWALKERS to Open 19th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival . Sonia Kil . June 17, 2015 . June 18, 2021 . . July 18, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210718114913/http://www.kofic.org/eng/news/news.jsp?blbdComCd=601006&seq=3468&mode=VIEW . live .
4. News: Winners of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival 2016 . Asian Film Festivals . Nadilo . Sabastian . August 8, 2016 . July 18, 2021 . en . July 18, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210718112037/https://asianfilmfestivals.com/2016/08/08/winners-bucheon-international-fantastic-film-festival-2016/ . live .
5. News: South Korea's Bucheon Fantastic Fest Sets Opening, Closing Films . The Hollywood Reporter . June 15, 2017 . July 18, 2021 . en . July 18, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210718110744/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/south-koreas-bucheon-fantastic-fest-sets-opening-closing-films-1013766/amp/ . live .
6. News: South Korea's Bucheon Fantastic Fest to Spotlight Horror Masters, Women in Film . The Hollywood Reporter . Lee . Hyo-won . June 7, 2018 . July 17, 2021 . en . July 18, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210718095913/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/south-koreas-bucheon-fantastic-fest-spotlight-horror-masters-women-film-1117965/ . live .
7. News: BIFAN 2019: Introduction . Bifan . July 7, 2019 . July 18, 2021 . en . July 18, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210718105501/http://m.bifan.kr/eng/bifan/01_bifan.asp . live .
8. News: 23rd Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival – Awards 2019 . Asian Film Festivals . Nadilo . Sabastian . July 5, 2019 . July 17, 2021 . en . July 18, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210718103637/https://asianfilmfestivals.com/2019/07/05/bucheon-international-fantastic-film-festival-awards-2019/ . live .
9. News: 20 Films you can't miss at the 24th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Part 1) . Asian Film Festivals . Nadilo . Sabastian . July 10, 2020 . July 17, 2021 . en . July 18, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210718102946/https://asianfilmfestivals.com/2020/07/10/films-cant-miss-bucheon-international-fantastic-film-festival-part1/ . live .
10. News: 24th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival comes to a close . . Lee . Jae-Lim . July 17, 2020 . July 17, 2021 . en . July 18, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210718102939/https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2020/07/17/entertainment/movies/BIFAN-Bucheon-194-films/20200717170800339.html . live .
11. News: '장르 영화 축제' 부천국제판타스틱영화제 개막…방역에 총력 . 'Genre Film Festival' Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival opens... focus on quarantine . Yoon Tae-hyu . . . July 8, 2021. July 11, 2021. ko.
12. News: 웨이브, 오늘부터 부천국제판타스틱영화제 온라인 상영관 오픈 . Wave, Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival online screening open from today . Lee Jin-young . . . July 9, 2021 . July 11, 2021 . ko . July 11, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210711132108/https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/003/0010598982?sid=101 . live .
13. News: 제26회 부천국제판타스틱영화제 산업프로그램 B.I.G 전격 출범. The 26th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival industrial program BIG launch. Kwak Myeong-dong. My Daily. Naver. July 9, 2022. July 10, 2022. ko. July 10, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220710063658/https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/movie/article/117/0003623113. live.
14. News: 오징어게임, BIFAN서 '시리즈 영화상' 최초 수상 . Squid Game wins 'Series Film Award' at BIFAN for the first time . Kang Kyung-rok . Edaily . Naver. July 10, 2022. July 10, 2022. ko.
15. Web site: 조성하·예지원, 제27회 부천국제판타스틱영화제 폐막식 사회 . Jo Seong-ha and Ye Ji-won, host of the 27th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival Closing Ceremony. Kwak Myeong-dong . My Daily. . July 4, 2023. July 7, 2023. ko.
16. Web site: 제27회 BIFAN, 폐막…정이서·장성범 배우상 수상 . The 27th BIFAN, Closing... Jeong Yi-seo and Jang Seong-beom won the Actor Award . Lee Da-won. . . July 8, 2023. July 8, 2023. ko.
17. News: BIFAN: Awards . Bifan . July 9, 2021 . July 17, 2021 . en . July 16, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210716205239/http://www.bifan.kr/bifan/05_01.asp . live .