HFPA-Pres

ident Aida Takla-O’Reilly presents commemorative plaques to the Presidents of the Korean Film Reporters Assn. (KOFRA), Kim Ho-Il and of theBusan Filmfest (BIFF), Lee Yong-Kwan. A small delegation of HFPA members was invited by both KOFRA and BIFF to participate in the 16th Busan Film Festival. The plaques were given as a token of appreciation for the hospitality of the festival organizers and the Association of Korean Film Journalists. In a press conference with international reporters the HFPA members made statements and were interviewed about three issues: The Hollywood Foreign Press Association and the Golden Globes (answered by Aida Takla-O’Reilly), the activities of the Korean Film Commission in Los Angeles (explained by HJ Park) and the state of the current Korean cinema seen through the eyes of a Western journalist (commented on by Elmar Biebl).

The opening of the Festival saw dozens of stars and filmmakers from predominantly Asian markets. The ceremony served as the debut event for the recently finished Busan Cinema Center, a futuristic and expansive construction, fitting for one of the most important film festivals in Asia (right).