5th OKINAWA INTERNATIONAL MOVIE FESTIVAL

The esteemed founder of the Busan International Film Festival has switched gears and produced his first short film. Kim Dong-ho has made the 24- minute work Jury and The Festival is honored to screen it.

Kim explained how he came to make a short a film. “My friend, Ang Soki, the actor, runs a short film festival and it had its 10^th anniversary last year. Three years ago he suggested I make a short film to be screened at this anniversary event and I did.”

The film is heavily based on Kim’s personal experience, as he has had much experience promoting Korean film through government positions, founding the Busan fest and judging films. He notes, “I served on international juries 27 times, including as president of some of them. Thus I was able to make my film about film festival juries.”

He adds that Okinawa is among the fests he has participated in. “I served in the Okinawa International Film Festival as the president of the jury or honorary director for the 1^st and 2^nd festivals. I think the festival has a great concept in line with Okinawan history. Okinawa has a tragic history to the theme of Laugh & Peace is appropriate to give people hope.”

Kim has had the desire to make film for a long time and has a distinct documentary he hopes to realize. “After I stepped down from my position at the Busan Film Fest I wanted to make a documentary interviewing various film directors about the concept of love. I hope to interview the Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hsien, the Iranian director Mohsen Makmalbaf, and the Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar-wai.”

The longtime film promoter has turned artist, and his work Jury attracted deep interest form Japanese audiences.