It's that time of the year when the world's cinema enthusiasts gather in Bucheon, South Korea, for the highly anticipated Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN). As we gear up to cover this sensational event, we can't contain our excitement about the incredible lineup of films, the immersive cultural experience, and the opportunity to discover emerging talents from around the globe.
This year, Justin will be on the ground in Bucheon, capturing the electric atmosphere and sharing his insights live from the festival. Meanwhile, Rob and Andy will be joining the action remotely from the states, ensuring we cover as many films as possible.
With the festival just around the corner, we couldn't resist sharing our top 10 picks for films we are eager to slam into our eyes this year at BIFAN.
Hungry Ghost Diner (Malaysia 2023)
Bonnie begins experiencing strange incidents following her uncle’s mysterious appearance at her food truck late one night. Returning to her childhood hometown, she is stranded during a sudden Covid-19 Lockdown and is forced to take refuge in her family's old coffeeshop, discovering that it is haunted by her relatives’ ghosts returning for the Hungry Ghost Festival.
The Seeding (USA 2023)
A man is lost in the desert searching for his car when he stumbles across a woman living alone in an abandoned cabin and decides to stay with her, only to discover that she might not be there willingly, as he experiences several encounters with local hoodlums leading to an unexpected outcome.
Evil Spirit (Korea, 1974)
Once upon a time, the head of a village is killed mysteriously. At that time Won-Seok voluntarily takes the post and makes efforts to solve the case. Since he doesn't believe in superstition, he firmly believes that the murder is committed by a person and not by an evil spirit. However, the outline of the murderer is not cleared while mysterious things happen one after another.
Tiger Stripes (Malaysia, 2022)
Zaffan struggles with puberty, discovering a terrifying secret about her physical self. Her failed attempts to conceal the inevitable lead her friends to find out who she really is, and Zaffan attacked by them. As Zaffan is further enraged by her own community, she soon learns that embracing her true self is the only answer to her freedom.
Sana (Japan, 2023)
A staff member at a broadcasting station stumbles upon a forgotten cassette tape gathering dust in a storage room and takes it to a radio show hosted by an idol member. There is a faint humming sound of a girl on the tape. Concerned about a missing group member, the idol's manager hires a private detective to locate him within three days, just before an important concert. The detective conducts interviews with each member, hoping to unravel the mystery. However, as the investigation progresses, the idol members fall victim to a haunting curse, succumbing to fear one by one. It becomes evident that the cursed cassette tape holds the key to their predicament, and as the detective investigates the identity of the mysterious voice on the tape, he confronts a shocking truth hidden beneath the curse.
Best Regards to All (Japan, 2023)
A young nursing school student visits her grandparents in the countryside. They enjoy a reunion while she feels increasingly uncomfortable. There is something in the grandparents' house. One day, she finds out the truth that turns her “happy” daily life into horror.
Memory of Water (Finland, Germany, Norway, 2022)
In a waterless world of the future, Noria becomes the village’s Tea Master following the traditions of her deceased father and inheriting a secret truth that has been hidden for a long time. The young woman must wield her quiet strength as a compass along a dangerous journey for her people's survival.
Rock-a-bye Baby (Vietnam, 2023)
A Vblogger is on the path to identify the murderer who killed his parents by reconstructing three shocking murder cases in Vietnam, when he finds commonalities between his parents' case and these three other cases.
In My Mother’s Skin (Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, 2023)
Stranded in the Philippines during World War II, a young girl' Tala lives in a war-worn colonial house in the isolated forest with her sickly mother and younger brother. Her mother's condition rapidly deteriorates. Desperate, Tala seeks out a mysterious fairy who has promised to protect her. Happy to oblige, the fairy gifts Tala a magical insect to cure her dying mother. Tala decides to release the magical insect which burrows deep into her mother’s flesh and begins living inside her. While her mother’s sickness disappears, in its place grows an insatiable craving for human flesh. As carnage ensues, Tala is forced to decide… Let her mother starve to death, or protect her mother and feed her bloodlust.
Nightsiren (Slovakia, Czech Republic, 2022)
In a remote mountain village, two sisters grow up at the mercy of their abusive mother. A terrible accident happens when Šarlota escapes into the woods with her sister Tamara. Otyla, a Roma woman is blamed for the girls’ disappearance and accused of witchcraft. Twenty years later, Šarlota unexpectedly shows up in the village. As she digs into her past, the locals grow suspicious. Only a young and eccentric herbalist, Mira, is willing to befriend her. When the animals in the village start to fall ill, the locals accuse Šarlota of conjuring Otyla's spirit.
Take a look at the full BIFAN program and let us know if there is anything special you would like us to cover this year. http://www.bifan.kr/eng/
Keep Chilling,
Justin
