Female-directed films will open and close this year’s Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). ScreenDaily confirms that Shin Suwon’s “Glass Garden” will kick off the fest October 15, while Sylvia Chang’s “Love Education” will conclude the nearly 300-film event. This is the first time in BIFF’s history that women-directed films have bookended the festival.
BIFF describes “Glass Garden” as a “gut-wrenching story of revenge.” Penned by Suwon, the mystery film is toplined by Moon Geun-young (“The Throne,” “A Tale Of Two Sisters”), who plays a romantically spurned, reclusive researcher named Jae-yeon.
Suwon previously wrote and directed features “Madonna” and “Pluto.” “Madonna” competed in Un Certain Regard at Cannes 2015 and “Pluto” took home the Crystal Bear at the Berlinale in 2013. Suwon’s short film “Circle Line” won the Canal+ Award at Cannes 2012.
“Love Education” follows three women in three different periods of Chinese history. BIFF marks the film’s world premiere, which will be attended by director Chang.
Chang’s 2004 feature “20:30:40,” about three women at the ages of 20, 30, and 40, was nominated for a Golden Bear at the Berlinale. “Murmur of the Hearts” and “Run Papa Run” are among the director’s more recent credits.
Another woman-helmed title screening at BIFF this year is Jeong Jae-eun’s “Butterfly Sleep,” which centers on a romance between a middle-aged novelist diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and a younger writer. E.oni’s kidnapping drama “Missing” and Pang Eunjin’s “Method,” a portrait of two actors working on an intense project, will also play at the fest.
BIFF will be held October 15–21 in Busan, South Korea.
