The Asian Cinema Fund (ACF), a unified body of production support program for international prospects and the promotion of Asian films, announces its 24 selections for 2015.
A total of 384 projects have been submitted over the past three months in three ACF categories: Script Development Fund, Post-Production Fund, and Asian Network of Documentary (AND) Fund. Applicants from Southwest Asia, China, Middle Asia and the Middle East have submitted projects to enrich the program with unique diversities.
ACF2015 Script Development Fund
The 2015 Script Development Fund selected 5 Asian projects (excluding Korea) from 182 applicants.
| ACF2015 Script Development Fund | ||
|---|---|---|
| Project | Director | Country |
| Barzakh | Saodat ISMAILOVA | Uzbekistan/France/ Tajikistan |
| The Orphanage | Shahrbanoo SADAT | Afghanistan/Denmark |
| Smoke on the Water | TOMINA Tetsuya | Japan |
| Wajib | Annemarie JACIR | Palestine |
| Tuition | LEI Yuan Bin | Singapore |
Middle Asia and Middle East directors depicted current changes and historical vestige that have been duly noted by the ACF and acknowledged by the selection of projects from young female director Shahrbanoo SADAT of Kabul, Afghanistan and female director Annemarie JACIR of Palestine. Additionally, by Director LEI Yuan Bin, a 2008 AFA alumni and nominee for the Busan International Film Festival’s Wide Angle Documentary Competition section with <03-FLATS>, was selected for the Asian Film Academy (AFA) Project Selection. Sponsored by Showbox Inc., the AFA Project Selection is selected from new projects created by AFA alumni.
The 5 selections will each receive KRW 10,000,000 (approx. USD 10,000) for Script Development Funds.
ACF2015 Post-Production Fund
The 2015 Post-Production Fund selected 2 Asian, 3 Korean, and 1 Biennale College-Cinema (Venice Film Festival) projects this year.
| ACF2015 Post-Production Fund | ||
|---|---|---|
| Project | Director | Country |
| Leopard Do Not Bite | Prasanna JAYAKODY | Sri Lanka |
| Kothanodi | Bhaskar HAZARIKA | India |
| Another Way | CHO Chang-Ho | Korea |
| Steel Flower | PARK Sukyoung | Korea |
| Alone | PARK Hong Min | Korea |
| Blanka | HASEI Kohki | Japan/ Philippines/ Italy |
Director Bhaskar HAZARIKA’s
Korean selections will premiere new projects by Director PARK Hong Min (whose film was invited to the 2011 Busan Film Festival’s Korean Cinema Today-Vision section), Director PARK Sukyoung (whose film invited to the 2014 Busan Film Festival’s Korean Cinema Today-Vision section), and Director CHO Chang-Ho (director of film nomination to the 2005 Busan International Film Festival New Currents section). After the post-production process this summer, the completed projects will have their world premiere at the 20th Busan International Film Festival.
ACF also collaborated with the Venice Film Festival to offer Post-Production Fund support to an Asian film from the 3 selected projects of the Biennale College-Cinema. by Director HASEI Kohki was selected this year and will screen at the 20th Busan International Film Festival after its premiere at the 2015 Venice Film Festival.
The selected projects will receive post-production services that include Digital Intermediate (DI), Sound Mixing, and Digital Cinema Package (DCP) from quality Korean studios. Starting this year, projects will receive English subtitle spotting services from a new subtitling company KUMTLE along with cooperation from the Korean Film Council, CJ Powercast, SEBANG SDL, Digital Studio 2L, The Color, Studio SH, Wavelab STD, PLUSGAIN, and Forestt Studio of China.
ACF2015 Asian Network of Documentary (AND) Fund
The 2015 Asian Network of Documentary (AND) Fund selected 13 projects.
| Asian Network of Documentary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Project | Director | Country |
| Absent Without Leave | LAU Kek Huat | Taiwan/Malaysia |
| For Our Collective Conscience | Anurag SINGH | India |
| The Forgotten | Ghada TERAWI | Palestine |
| Greener Pastures – The Story Of Three Families |
Tin Win NAING | Myanmar/Germany |
| The Last Lake | Chan LIDA | Cambodia/France |
| Marriage Cop | Shashwati TALUKDAR/ Cheryl HESS |
India |
| Only Memory Left Alive | Guillaume SUON | Cambodia/France |
| Wish Tree | SU Qing | China |
| When The Sun Didn’t Rise | Teenaa KAUR | India |
| Karma | WON HoYeon | Korea |
| A Corner Shop | LEE Sook Kyung | Korea |
| The Stranger | JIN Moyoung | Korea |
| Ashes of Dreams | OH Hyunjin/KO Duhyun | Korea |
The 9 Asian documentaries, including by Guillaume SUON who was awarded the 2014 BIFF Mecenat Award, introduce a wide range of subjects this year. Indian projects hold a significant presence with the depiction of violence and local social issues, while the Palestinian documentary by Director Ghada TERAWI use an artistic approach to investigate personal memory of a Japanese freedom fighter (Japanese Red Army) who gave up his life in Japan to join the Palestinian liberation movement.
The 4 Korean documentaries also portray various views on Korean society. Director WON HoYeon’s tell a story about a boy monk and school violence, whereas Director LEE Sook Kyung’s introduce unique characters working in a small store. by Director JIN Moyoung and by Director OH Hyunjin and KO Duhyun both illustrate the life of North Korean defectors and immigrant workers, but take on a different perspective and approach to the subject.
The AND Fund is supported by Youngsan University, Dongseo University, Busan Bank, and BIFF Mecenat.
AND Fund Asian Project Cash Grant
KRW 10,000,000 (approx. USD 10,000)
KRW 5,000,000 (approx. USD 5,000)
AND Fund Korean Project Cash Grant
KRW 20,000,000 (approx. USD 20,000)
KRW 10,000,000 (approx. USD 10,000)
