Kim Dong-ho, the new chairman of Busan International Film Festival, has expressed confidence that everything will go on as planned as the opening day of the festival draws closer. The chairman said he is positive that all stakeholders will participate this year despite threats from filmmakers who are planning to boycott the festival.
Kim was recently appointed as chairman of the Busan International Film Festival. The Busan International Film Festival is considered as the largest film festival in Asia. However, preparations for this year's event have been tarnished by threats from filmmakers who are not happy with what they have described as the government's unsolicited guidance which may affect the festival's artistic independence.
The dispute between the organizers of the Busan International Film Festival and the Busan city government started in 2014. The row started after the screening of a documentary that tackled the response of the government to a ferry tragedy that claimed the lives of more than 300 people.
As a result of the tension between the two parties, the festival's budget was cut by nearly half. Last year, the festival saw a record-breaking audience. However, investigations following the event revealed that several officials misappropriated some of the funds allocated for the festival.
Local filmmakers have voiced protest and said that they will boycott the upcoming event which will run from Oct. 6 to 15. This has led to speculations that not a single South Korean film will be screened at this year's event.
Kim said that the filmmakers are willing to return to the fold as long as sponsors and the government are not allowed to have any influence on the festival's official programming and movie selections.
In a statement, Kim said, "It is the programmer's exclusive rights to select works and to invite guests. It is necessary to set in stone that even the chairman cannot violate that. The revision of the articles will reflect the wish of the filmmakers and therefore, the Busan International Film Festival will surely start in October."
