The 30th Busan International Film Festival has made significant announcements, showcasing a variety of official selections and industry developments. This year’s event highlights the growing influence of Asian cinema and key industry figures.
Busan Unveils Official Selection
The 30th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF)’s Asian Cinema Fund (ACF) has unveiled its 14 official selections after receiving 850 submissions, marking a record-setting 23% increase compared to the previous year. Among the three script development picks from 478 submissions are Black Star Angel from Armenia’s Christine Haroutounian, the Philippines’ Heaven Help Us! from Eve Baswell, and New Life from China’s Yingtong Li. The Asian Network Documentary Fund has selected four Korean projects: Our Complex by Hanna Cho, Sprouted Potato Lives On by Dayeon Yang, Weathering Architect by Sunhyeon Kwon, and Sea, Star, Woman by Jeunghae Yim, a co-production with a French partner. Three overseas titles were also selected: Kampuchea by Neary Adeline Hay, a French-Cambodian co-production; Oma by Armin Septiexan, which involves Indonesian, Filipino, French, and Dutch partners; and an untitled project from Myanmar by Min Min Hein. Additionally, Korea’s Coming of Age and The Observer’s Journal, India’s If on a Winter’s Night, and Hong Kong/China-Vietnam’s The River That Holds Our Hands were chosen in the Post-Production Fund category. The ACF, part of BIFF’s industry platform Asian Contents & Film Market, is recognized as a flagship funding initiative at BIFF, which takes place at the Busan Cinema Center from September 17-26. The Asian Contents & Film Market runs from September 20-23 at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center.
Kate Laffey Exits Number 9 Films For Fifth Season
Fifth Season has appointed Kate Laffey, formerly of Number 9 Films, as its Head of TV. She will take on the role of SVP, Acquisitions, based in Los Angeles and London, effective immediately. Laffey will oversee the global acquisitions strategy, including the London-based team led by Liz Tang. She will report to Fifth Season EVP of Television, Jennifer Ebell, who recently succeeded Prentiss Fraser. Previously, Laffey led Number 9 TV, a subsidiary of Living producer Number 9 Films. Details on how her departure affects Beta Film-backed Number 9 are yet to be disclosed. Prior to this, she spent four years at Paramount International TV Studios in the UK, working on projects like The Gold, A Gentleman in Moscow, and Flatshare. Earlier in her career, she served as VP of Acquisitions at Cineflix Rights and worked with ITV Studios. “Kate brings a formidable blend of commercial insight and creative instinct, with a track record for identifying the kind of global, talent-driven stories that define our slate,” said Ebell. “She’s trusted by producers, respected across the industry, and we’re thrilled to have her join the acquisitions team.” Fifth Season’s sales slate includes the Laura Linney and Kevin Kline MGM+ drama American Classic; Stan original series He Had It Coming, starring Lydia West; Made Up Stories’ The Good Daughter, starring Rose Byrne and Meghann Fahy; and the docuseries Death Cap, a co-production with Dreamchaser and Den of Martians.
Paprika Studios To Sprinkle ITVS Formats In CEE
Budapest’s Paprika Studios will represent seven ITV Studios (ITVS) formats across six countries in Central and Eastern Europe. They have acquired rights to the high-stakes cooking competition Game of Chefs, culinary game show Rat in the Kitchen, heartwarming reality dating show My Mum Your Dad, nostalgia-themed A Year to Remember, and family game show What Would Your Kid Do?. “This partnership allows us to provide broadcasters with a powerful combination of creative content and streamlined production, perfectly tailored to local audiences,” said ITVS Gisela Minnbergh, EVP of EMEA Global Partnerships. Martijn Plaizier, Content Brand Partnership Manager at ITVS, brokered the deal.
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Love Nature Docs Lead Blue Ant’s Sunny Side Slate
Blue Ant Studios is heading to this week’s Sunny Side of the Doc in La Rochelle, France, with a lineup of original wildlife documentaries from its streaming partner Love Nature. The Arte co-production Animal Crowds is a three-part series from Bonne Pioche that explores wildlife that gathers, lives, and moves in groups. Additionally, Terra Mater, Catkin Media Production, and Doclights present the two-part series The Philippines, which delves into the diverse natural landscapes of the Philippines. Shark Boss: Battle of the Sexes, produced by WildBear in collaboration with Discovery, features a playful competition to determine whether male or female great white sharks are more dominant. WildBear is also behind Season 2 of Planet Weird. “These newly announced greenlights reflect the wide spectrum of modern wildlife production that Love Nature has become known for over the last decade,” said Alison Barrat, SVP, Head of Content at Love Nature.
