The first-ever Korea Pinoy International Film Festival (KPIFF) held in Seoul towards the end of September was hailed a hit, and its success credited to the many collaborations of the organizers led by Nash Ang of Pinoy Artists in Korea.
The KPIFF, held over three days from September 27-29, 2019 at the Arirang Center in Seongbuk-gu, in Seoul, SouthKorea, attracted both Filipinos and Koreans interested in Philippine culture and arts.
“The collaboration of different organizations is key to its success,” shared festival director Nash Ang to Good News Pilipinas.
“I originally planned to humbly start small, but the result came out exaggeratedly positive that this project sounded so big. I would like to thank everyone who is involved from of this passion of promoting Filipino culture though the art of cinema,” revealed Ang.
The KPIFF Festival Director noted the support of the KPIFF 2019 Festival Committee, the leaders from Pinoy Artists in Korea, Pinoy Seoul, Pinoy Iskolars sa Korea, Tanghalang Banyuhay, FilAm Creative of Hollywood, and Philippine Embassy of Korea whom he said were instrumental in making the event happen. Ang also singled out Rosie Peralta of Pinoy Artists in Korea for being “most of the time present and worked incredibly hard since last year with lengthy preparations and incessant meetings striving to make the 3-day event the best it could possibly be.”
GoodNewsPilipinas.com also interviewed Ang at the onset of preparations for the festival which was first announced in June. Nash Ang, best known for his socially relevant films such as “Paraiso” and “Seoul Mates,” the first Filipino-Korean co-produced film, shared his vision for the event which celebrated the 100 years of Philippine Cinema and marked the 70th anniversary of diplomacy between South Korea and the Philippines.
The KPIFF focused on the theme of migration with the aim to address issues of social inclusion in communities where overseas Filipinos are migrant workers and residents.
“Korea Pinoy Film Festival is one of the initiatives I want to do to give back to the community where I came from,” said Nash Ang, a two-time “Ani ng Dangal” awardee of the Philippines who is in Korea on a scholarship for studies in advanced filmmaking.
The multi-awarded filmmaker and social entrepreneur then went on to work with several collaborators to stage the historic event.
Members of the Organizing Committee of the 2019 KPIFF were spread across nations and resorted to a video conference for their first meeting on June 24. The prime movers included Festival Director Nash Ang, founding director of Pinoy Artists in Korea (chairperson); Charles Gray, Executive Director of Filam Creatives in Los Angeles; Roderick Alo, Executive Director of Tanghalang Banyuhay in the Philippines; Rosie Peralta, Executive Director of Pinoy Artists in Korea; Dr. Jerre Mae Tamanal, President of Pinoy Iskolars sa Korea.
The actual staging of the KPIFF received the support of the Seongbuk-gu Government, Seongbuk Multicultural Foundation, Philippine Embassy in Korea, and the Rotary Club of Dong Pocheon.
Festival partners included Pinoy Iskolars sa Korea, Filam Creative Inc., Tanghalang Banyuhay, Koreigners, University of Mapua, and GoodNewsPilipinas.com.
The KPIFF’s successful run began with its opening day screening of Filipino film “Secret of Philippine Peso” starring reel-and-real couple Gelli de Belen and Ariel Rivera.
The KPIFF then screened “You With Me”, a movie that was filmed in Seoul. A Q&A session followed the screening attended by Rommel Ricafort (Director), Shine Ricafort (Writer and Producer), Sunkuen Ahn (Director of Photography), Hyeojeong Kim (Producer, Film Line), Taisik Kim (Executive Director, Film Line) and Nina Jung of Seoul Film Commission. Japanese fans of Korean actor Hyun Woo traveled all the way from Japan to attend the screening.
The Seoul event then went on to screen 6 student films from Mapua University.
The inaugural KPIFF also showcased 7 short films by Filipino directors.
Among the highlights of the festival were two special South Korea premiere screenings of the top-grossing film tandem of Alden Richards and Kathryn Bernardo, “Hello, Love, Goodbye“.
The Korea Pinoy International Film Festival was held just after Alden Richards received his Asian Star Prize from the Seoul International Drama Awards, and right before the staging of the Busan International Film Festival where Maja Salvador won Best Actress at the Asian Film Market’s Asia Contents Awards.
The Korean film “The Luxury Bus” screened and had a Q&A session with its producer and director at the closing night of the first KPIFF
Asked about the group’s plans after the successful staging of the first KPIFF, Nash Ang said, “Pinoy Artists in Korea will move forward to its vision to develop, uplift, and promote the Filipino culture and arts in the land of the morning calm. More projects to come!” GoodNewsPilipinas.com will be sure to give updates when the 2nd KPIFF is mounted.
SEND congratulations in the comments below to the organizers and audiences who participated in the historic staging of the 1st Korea Pinoy International Film Festival!
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