Festivals

In a country whose film industry has rapidly – and firmly – established itself as one of the most dynamic in the world, it's no wonder that the Jeonju International Film Festival, which runs May 3 -12, is quickly finding an international – not just Asian – recognition. The festival takes place in the old town of Jeonju, one and a half hour fast-train ride south of the capital of Seoul, a much smaller town filled with traditional houses, restaurants, walkways, street food and young people often wearing the traditional Hanbok costume strolling its streets and parks.

Here we go again! And again! For the 22nd time ColCoa - City of Lights to City of Angels - French Film Festival, the biggest ever showcase of French Cinema outside of France, will open at the Directors Guild of America’s headquarters in Los Angeles on Monday, April 23, 2018 with the North American premiere of Promise at Dawn by director Eric Barbier (The Last Diamond, ColCoa 2014). The picture is based on the autobiographical novel of the same name by two-time Goncourt prize winner Romain Gary.

A notable lack of major titles and star-power fuel and a considerable Asian presence are the defining traits of the lineup of the 2018 edition of the Cannes Film Festival.   At the lineup announcement in Paris, Cannes artistic director Thierry Frémaux blamed protracted post-production issues for the absence of highly anticipated films from directors such as Mike Leigh, Xavier Dolan, and Jacques Audiard.

South by Southwest, the little festival that could, is proving, once again, to be a thoroughly original lineup with its three-pronged approach to Film, Interactive Arts and Music. The latter, of course, constitutes the core of a festival which grew around what this musical capital of the Southwest is known for, showcasing over 1,000 bands from all over the world.

The Berlinale Palast is getting ready to welcome scores of high-profile participants and screenings for the ten-day run of the 68th Berlin International Film Festival, from February 15 to 25. The festival will open with the world premiere of Wes Anderson’s animated film Isle of Dogs.

Sweden’s Gothenburg Film Festival, established in 1979, is the leading film festival in Nordic countries. Between the end of January and the beginning of February it features more than 450 films from some 80 countries and sells around 130 000 tickets to the public.

After three stand up specials, millennial comedian Bo Burnham has gracefully transitioned from the stage to the screen with his directorial debut, Eighth Grade, which premiered at Sundance 2018. In the film, Burnham channels his thoughts about today’s Internet culture and his own personal anxieties through Kayla (Elsie Fisher), a teenager finishing her final days at middle school.