The Venice International Film Festival will be marking a very special occasion this year when it opens its doors on August 28th, as it will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of its existence. The famed festival on the Lido, often grouped with the Cannes Film Festival and Berlinale as the world’s most prestigious film events, is the oldest existing film festival on the planet.

 

Ever since the explosion of modern Korean cinema in the late 1990s, Korean films have featured prominently at Venice and in recent years the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) has been a strong presence at the Italian festival. As with previous years, KOFIC will celebrate the presence of Korean filmmakers with a special Korean film party in Venice.

 

KIM Ki-duk is returning to Venice, after winning the event’s top Golden Lion prize last summer for Pieta, with his controversial new work Moebius. The film, which was finally approved for release in Korea after multiple trips to the ratings board, will screen out of competition.

 

KIM, along with indie filmmaker HONG Sangsoo, will also be taking part with a new short, part of 70 works by internationally renowned directors commissioned by the festival to commemorate their anniversary. The Venezia 70 – Future Reloaded initiative has invited filmmakers from around the world to make shorts in the 60 to 90 second range.

 

In addition to celebrating the new works by KIM and HONG, KOFIC’s party will also honor the various achievements of Korean films on the Lido over the years. Aside from last year’s Golden Lion, KIM also took home the Silver Lion in 2004, the prize awarded to the best director, for his film 3-Iron. Other major Korean wins on the Lido include MOON So-ri’s Marcello Mastroianni Award for Emerging Actor or Actress for LEE Chang-dong’s Oasis (2002), for which the director also picked up a Special Director's Award, 2005’s CinemAvvenire award, which went to PARK Chan-wook’s Sympathy for Lady Vengeance and KANG Soo-yeon's Best Actress achievement for IM Kwon-taek's The Surrogate Mother in 1987. 

 

KOFIC chairman KIM Eui-suk, Venice's artist director Alberto Barbera and auteur KIM Ki-duk will be among the guests in attendance. The 70th Venice International Film Festival will take place from August 28th to September 7th.