Future of BIFF unclear as director, chairperson resign five months before festival

The future of Korea's largest film festival is looking bleak as the festival director and chairperson resigned over the transition to a co-directorship just five months ahead of the scheduled festival date. Last Friday, director Huh Moon-yung of...

A passerby walks across the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) logo in front of the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae District, eastern Busan, on Monday. [YONHAP]

The future of Korea's largest film festival is looking bleak as the festival director and chairperson resigned over the transition to a co-directorship just five months ahead of the scheduled festival date.

Last Friday, director Huh Moon-yung of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) resigned over the appointment of a managing director, effectively a co-director with Huh. Four days later on Monday, the chairperson of BIFF Lee Yong-kwan also stepped down from his position.

This year's BIFF is planned to take place from Oct. 4 to 13.

As the BIFF is the largest and most well-regarded film festival in the country, many see it as playing a central role in reviving the film industry after Covid-19. The number of moviegoers has been dwindling and domestic-made films are underperforming at the box office in recent months, calling for a much-needed boost in the Korean film industry.

Lee Yong-kwan, the chairperson of the Busan International Film Festival, speaks during a press conference announcing his intention to resign at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae District, eastern Busan, on Monday. [YONHAP]

Huh's resignation in the first place is an issue. According to the BIFF’s regulations, a co-director system can be put into place, and this was the decision of the board when they named Cho Jong-kook as a managing director on May 9. Local reports and industry insiders believe Cho's appointment led to Huh's resignation; however, Huh has not confirmed this.

“You could see Cho’s appointment as coming from a perspective of regarding BIFF as a bureaucratic and administrative event instead of as a major cultural event,” said film critic Kim Heon-sik, explaining that Cho’s appointment as managing director was for him to oversee budget and personnel related matters, but that this is seen by filmmakers as a power-move to regulate and put a chain on creative decisions for the festival.

“The way in which Cho was appointed – very abruptly and without internal consideration for the people already at BIFF – is also a problem.”

Those in the film industry want public access to the board meeting of Cho's appointment.

Huh Moon-yung, the festival director for Busan International Film Festival, speaks during a press conference at KNN Theater in Busan on Oct. 14, 2022. [YONHAP]

BIFF has previously been marred by administrative and political fist-fighting when the documentary “The Truth Shall Not Sink With Sewol,” regarding the Sewol ferry tragedy, was banned by the mayor of Busan but still screened by the organizers of BIFF in 2014.

The appointment of Cho could be seen as a move in response to what happened in 2014. Filmmakers then see it as a method of content censorship, according to Kim, and the resignations of Huh and Lee could be an act of protest against that.

The abrupt resignation, just five months ahead of the event, created confusion in the industry, with fingers pointing at both the directors and organizers.

“Lee’s expression of resignation seems irresponsible in light of the fact that it comes immediately after Huh’s,” said a film organization official who requested anonymity. “Lee has said he wishes to resign to take responsibility for the controversy caused by Huh’s resignation, but if he really wants to take responsibility he should remain and convince Huh to return.”

While Huh and Lee have both only expressed their intentions to resign and their resignations have not yet been processed, if both positions are vacant, serious damage to the BIFF is inevitable, say experts.

“What is most needed now is a way to reach the middle ground,” said Kim. “If the BIFF is held this year with both positions vacant, it would be disastrous.”

The Korean Film Production Association issued a public statement Monday expressing support for Huh and calling for the BIFF to persuade him to come back and normalize preparations for the festival.

“Huh, who has led the BIFF since 2021, is someone who has maintained a good reputation within the film industry and who many believe is the person for the job of headlining the BIFF,” reads the statement. “The way forward for the BIFF is to reverse the co-director system and make an environment for Huh to lead the festival."

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]