PIFF: My Dream Screening Schedule

The Pusan International Film Festival is supposedly the most influential film festival in all of Asia. I've been once before and it was quite a time. It's odd how the very Korean town of Busan, which meets the sea at the south of the peninsula, seems very much European whenever the film festival rolls around. The beach is lit up, the glitterati are abundant, and the endless train of banners and movie posters lining the boardwalk give it a very Cannes feel. That's why this year Dong Wook and I will take the midnight train to Busan to give 'Korean Cannes' another whirl. Upon first glance of this year's program, let's just say I wasn't exactly sleeping in line for tickets. The line-up seemed "fine"...and as anyone in the industry knows, "fine" is not the most welcoming word. After a few days of really giving the endless lists of synopses their due, it was to my surprise that there were some real gems in there that my judgmental eyes failed to notice. With that, I now present to you (all three of you) my hopeful list of films to view, granted I can snag some tickets (complete with trailers!):

Friday, October 9th

Trick'r Treat - Produced by Bryan Singer and directed by Michael Dougherty, this darkly comedic horror film follows four stories on Halloween night: a high school principal who moonlights as a vicious serial killer, a young virgin whose quest for that someone special takes a gruesome turn, a group of teens who carry out a cruel prank with disastrous consequences, and a cantankerous old man who battles a mischievous trick-or-treating demon. I hope this is as crazy as it looks. Not usually a horror fan, but this looks like the perfect midnight movie...which is the hour it is playing. Starring Anna Paquin.

Saturday, October 10th

City of Life and Death - A film depicting the invasion, destruction, and massacre of Nanking by

Japan. The death-toll has never been confirmed, though it is believed that upwards of 300,000

people may have been massacred there. This film, judging only by its trailer, captures the

essence of the time, the horror of the atrocities, and the black and white film stock sends chills

down my spine. This is the one film this year that I am (forgive my phrasing) dying to see.

Air Doll - A Japanese film, directed by Kore-Eda Hirokazu, about a blow-up sex doll that comes

to life much to her owners surprise. She must learn to understand what having a soul is. Looks

quirky, cute, and could either be ridiculously bad, or heart-warmingly good.

Mai Mai Miracle - I know little about this film except that it's of a young girl with a funny curl

on her forehead who daydreams about the past. For now, it's this and the beautiful animation

that has convinced me to see it.

Sunday, October 11th

Paranormal Activity - This trailer speaks for itself. Oh mama, I wish this were playing late at

night!

Now, the next two films I have to choose between. They are in two completely different areas

of the city, yet they both interest me intensely. I know one will be more accessible to my in the

future, but which would I enjoy best as a closing film to my Pusan experience? Can you help me

decide? I'm hung up.

Mary & Max - This is the story of two very different pen-pals living in two completely different

worlds. It seems so incredibly charming, and I live and breath for animation...so it's difficult for

me to even consider passing this up (and the voice of Toni Collette, Eric Bana, and Philip

Seymour Hoffman?).

Anita - This is the only Spanish-language film on my list (slim pickin's) but man does it look like

a good one. The film focuses on the character of Anita, a young woman with Down syndrome,

who enjoys a life of happy routine. After a bomb explodes outside her shop, she wanders and

becomes lost, losing her routine and herself in the process? Will she be forever lost? This film

looks incredible in every way possible. The cinematography is gorgeous, the acting already

looks superb, and something tells me the story is a gem waiting to be discovered. To see or not

to see...that is the question.

So that's it. My list. I am now officially excited about this.