The full schedule of films for the 2013 Busan West Film Festival has just been announced!  For the complete scoop on the numerous events and films playing at this year’s festival, read on.




As you probably know, Dodge College and Chapman University are huge supporters of worldwide collaboration, with especially strong ties to the pan-Asian region.  From our numerous exchange programs with countries throughout the subcontinent, to our permanently established sister school Chapman Singapore, and close connections to the Ngee-Ann Polytechnic, our students and faculty regularly bridge the oceanic divide between our cultures.

In that spirit, Dodge College is presenting the third year of our culture-blending film festival, Busan West, at Marion Knott Studios this March.  Began as an offshoot of the most prominent film festival in Asia —
the Busan Film
Busan West Film Festival
Festival in Korea
— Busan West has hosted dozens of new and noteworthy films in a uniquely multicultural cinema endeavor in Orange County.  In the past years, Busan West has blossomed into a more inclusive festival, presenting the works of countries from China, Taiwan, Japan as well.  Tying in to its Korean roots, the festival annually presents our Icon Award to a Korean filmmaker of special renown; past year’s recipients were Bong Joon-ho, and Park Chan-wook, directors of some of the most successful Asian films in modern memory.

This year, our festival continues to grow, with the inclusion of a thematic showcase around which the festival will revolve: a 
Martial Arts Special Program
including the classic films,
Enter the Dragon
(1973),
Once Upon a Time in China
(1993),
Iron Monkey
(1993), and the new film
Sword Identity
(2011).  The showcase will also feature a panel on martial arts cinema, engaging students and the community in a discussion on the impact of this distinctly Asian style on cinema worldwide.

Director Kim Jee-woon


Continuing our tradition of bringing the very best talent to offer exclusive introductions, Q&As, and panel presentations, I can reveal a few of the big names who will be in attendance: Kim Jee-woon, director of numerous Korean masterpieces (pictured right), David Desser, and Xu Haofeng.

We’re happy to welcome back an outstanding alumnus in the lineup as well;  Andy Knauer (MFA 2006), the screenwriter of Kim Jee-woon’s latest American collaboration,
The Last Stand
.

In addition, this year’s lineup of honored directors and producers will include one
very
well-known American actor.  (Hint: he’s a big deal.  Literally.  He’s big.)

Personally, my favorite film (of the ones I’ve seen) is
The Good, The Bad, The Weird
.  It’s a goofy take on the classic spaghetti western
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, 
filtered through the lens of contemporary martial arts films.  It references and re-interprets all kung-fu and western genre conventions, and might be a bit action-oriented for some, but it’s a hilarious, wild ride for those who can hang on.  Check out the trailer:



And without further ado, here is the genre-bending
lineup for the 2013 Busan West Film Festival
!

New Films

  • Beijing Flickers (China)

  • Bleak Night (Korea)

  • Dangerous Liaisons (China)

  • GF BF: Girlfriend, Boyfriend (Taiwan)

  • The Good, The Bad The Weird (Korea)

  • The Last Stand (U.S. co-production)

  • A Tale of Two Sisters (Korea)

  • A Werewolf Boy (Korea)

Martial Arts Special Program

  • Enter the Dragon (1973)

  • Iron Monkey (1993)

  • Once Upon a Time In China (1993)

  • The Sword Identity (2011)


 

For more info, including the full schedule, and to sign up for the ticket waiting list, head over to
the full website at BusanWest.com


And stay tuned for the big reveal of our headline celebrity actor this week!