PROJECT FUNDING
The Asian Cinema Fund, a bursary scheme for film and documentary projects operated alongside the Busan International Film Festival, has announced six Korean recipients and seven hailing from elsewhere in Asia. The fund was put on hiatus during the two years of COVID, which also reduced the festival in size and turned the Asian Contents & Film Market into a virtual event. Three winners – “In the Land of Brothers,” by Raha Amirfazali, “Life I Stole,” by Putri Purnama Sugua and “Smart City,” by Rohin Raveendran – each receive KRW10 million ($7,50) for script development and are invited to participate in the ACFM’s Asian Project Market. Three films currently in post-production – “Birth,” by Yoo Jiyoung, “Juhee from 5 to 7,” by Jang Kunjae and “Mariam,” by Arving Pratap – will receive in-kind support for digital intermediates, DCP production, sound mixing and sub-titling, and are expected to premiere as finished works at the Busan festival. Seven documentaries also receive KRW10 million of production support. The Busan festival runs Oct. 5-14, 2022. The ACFM runs Oct. 8- 11, 2022.
TAIPEI PRIZES
Softie
Avenue B Productions
The Taipei Film Festival awarded its Grand Prize with a cash award of NTD 600,000 ($20,000) to “Softie,” a French film directed by Samuel Theis. The festival’s Special Jury Prize went to “Beautiful Beings,” directed by Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson. “The Quiet Girl,” directed by Ireland’s Colm Bairéad won the Audience Choice Award. “Softie” also won the Taiwan Film Critics Society Award, judged by three members of the society. They praised the film for exploring a child’s sexual desire that crosses the boundaries of gender and class, and doing so from a tender and fearless point of view.