The Wrestler, directed by Bangladeshi-Canadian filmmaker Iqbal H. Chowdhury, and September 1923, from Japan’s Tatsuya Mori, picked up the New Currents Awards at this year’s Busan International Film Festival (October 4-13).
Chowdhury’s film tells the story of an eccentric fisherman who learns a traditional form of wrestling to take on the village champion, while September 1923, the debut fiction film of documentary filmmaker Mori, revolves around the massacre that took place after the Great Kanto earthquake 100 years ago.
The Kim Jiseok Award, presented to films in Busan’s Jiseok section, went to Sri Lankan director Prasanna Vithanage’s Paradise, about an Indian couple facing problems in their marriage during a trip to Sri Lanka, and Mirlan Abdykalykov’s Bride Kidnapping, about the widespread practice of forcing women into marriage in Kyrgyzstan.
Busan also launched two new awards, the LG OLED New Currents & Vision Awards, presented to films in the festival’s New Currents and Korean Cinema Today – Vision sections. Solids By The Seashore, directed by Thailand’s Patiparn Boontarig, won the LG OLED New Currents Award, while The Berefts, from Korea’s Jeong Beom and Hur Jang, took the LG OLED Vision Award. Both prizes came with a cash grant of $26,000 (KRW30M).
BUSAN 2023 FULL LIST OF AWARDS:
New Currents Award:
The Wrestler (Bangladesh-Canada), dir: Iqbal H. Chowdhury
September 1923 (Japan), dir: Tatsuya Mori
Kim Jiseok Award:
Paradise (Sri Lanka-India), dir: Prasanna Vithanage
Bride Kidnapping (Kyrgyzstan), dir: Mirlan Abdykalykov
BIFF Mecenat Award:
The Voices Of The Silenced (Korea-Japan), dir: Park Soo-nam, Park Maeui
Republic (Singapore-China), dir: Jin Jiang
Sonje Award:
Mydear (Korea), dir: Jeon Dohee, Kim Sohee
21 Weeks Later (Iran), dir: Nasrin Mohammadpour
Special Mention: Everybody’s Gotta Love Sometimes (France-Myanmar-Indonesia), dir: Sein Lyan Tun
Actors of the Year:
Jang Sung-bum, Work To Do (Korea)
Oh Minae, Concerning My Daughter (Korea)
KB New Currents Audience Award: Heritage (Korea), dir: Lee Jong-su
Flash Forward Audience Award: The Dreamer (France), dir: Anais Tellenne
LG OLED New Currents Award: Solids By The Seashore (Thailand): dir: Patiparn Boontarig
LG OLED Vision Award: The Berefts (Korea), dirs: Jeong Beom, Hur Jang
FIPRESCI Award: That Summer′s Lie (Korea), dir: Sohn Hyun-lok
NETPAC Award: Solids By The Seashore (Thailand): dir: Patiparn Boontarig
DGK Plus M Award:
Work To Do (Korea), dir: Park Hong-jun
Isle Of Snakes (Korea), dir Eu-min Kim
CGV Award: Concerning My Daughter (Korea), dir: Lee Mirang
KBS Independent Film Award: House Of The Seasons (Korea), dir: Oh Jung-min
CGK Award: House Of The Seasons (Korea), cinematographer: Lee Jinkeun
Critic b Award: Last Summer (Korea), dir Choi Seung-woo
Aurora Media Award:
House Of The Seasons (Korea), dir: Oh Jung-min
FAQ (Korea), dir: Kim Da-min
Watcha Short Award:
Mydear (Korea), dir: Jeon Dohee, Kim Sohee
Karma (Korea), dir: Choi Soohyuk
Citizen Critics’ Award: The Berefts (Korea), dirs: Jeong Beom, Hur Jang
Busan Cinephile Award: Yellow Door: ′90s Lo-fi Film Club (Korea), dir: Lee Hyuk-rae