28th Busan Film Festival Lee Chun-yeon Filmmaker Award Goes to Producer Kim Ji-yeon

The 28th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) announced on the 13th that producer Kim Ji-yeon of the film "Next Sohee" (2022) has been selected as this year’s recipient of the Lee Chun-yeon Filmmaker Award.

Now in its second year, the Busan International Film Festival’s Lee Chun-yeon Filmmaker Award was established to honor the late Lee Chun-yeon, chairman of the Filmmakers Association, in recognition of his contributions to the development of Korean cinema. Last year, producer Baek Jae-ho, who participated in the production of "Best Life" (2021), was selected as the inaugural recipient.

Producer Ji-yeon Kim [Photo by Busan Film Festival]

The Lee Chun-yeon Filmmaker Award discovers and highlights outstanding producers involved in Korean film production, awarding the winner a prize of 10 million KRW.

Based on Korean films released from July of last year to June of this year, candidates were selected through recommendations requested from three organizations: the Korean Independent Film Association, the Korean Film Producers Association, and the Korean Film Producer’s Guild. The judging panel included director Kang Je-gyu, Myung Films CEO Shim Jae-myung, actor Yoo Ji-tae, and Busan International Film Festival programmer Jang Han-seok.

Producer Kim Ji-yeon participated in producing and producing the closing film of the Critics’ Week at the 75th Cannes Film Festival, "Next Sohee," as well as "Namyeongdong 1985" (2012), "Dohee-ya" (2014), and "Romantic Factory" (2022).

Director Kang Je-gyu described her as "a steadfast producer who expresses her own voice through her works," and CEO Shim Jae-myung said, "As a filmmaker who has participated in experimental and adventurous Korean film productions, she makes us look forward to her future achievements."

Actor Yoo Ji-tae congratulated her, saying, "As someone who plans films according to her own convictions, she is a fitting recipient of the Lee Chun-yeon Filmmaker Award," and programmer Jang Han-seok encouraged her, calling her "a filmmaker who has created great works over a long career."

The Lee Chun-yeon Filmmaker Award ceremony will be held on the 5th of next month at the Paradise Hotel in Busan.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.