Archived News 2006
BIFCOM 2006 Report
20th November 2006
Film New Zealand attended BIFCOM (Busan International Film Commission and Industry Showcase) 2006 held in Busan, South Korea from the 15-18 October. There were 67 exhibitors from 16 countries and an estimated 2,500 visitors attended.
Participants
Susan Ord, Film New Zealand; Mike Horgan, Investment New Zealand; Andrew French, New Zealand's Trade Commissioner to South Korea, The New Zealand Ambassador to South Korea, Ms Jane Coombs, Young-Gyun Shin, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, Seoul; Matt Horrocks, Eyeworks Touchdown; Louise Baker and KC Yeung, of Park Road Post and Bridget Bourke, Beachfront Films; Rob Skinner, NZ Trade & Enterprise Singapore.
There are three different components to the Busan week:
- PIFF (Pusan International Film Festival) which now includes the new Asian Film Market
- PPP (Pusan Promotion Plan)
- BIFCOM. 67 exhibitors from 16 countries took part this year with the central focus this year being digital cinema. Countries taking part included the USA, Singapore, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, Russia, Indonesia and Thailand.
Some of the visitors to the New Zealand stand included:
- Zixxe Big Foot Entertainment
- Barunson Films
- Big Foot Entertainment
- Korean Film Producers Association KFPA
- Guardtec, Inc.
- 21C Entertainment Forum
- Kementerian Kebudyaan Dan Pariwisata
- Sierra Sky Cluster Inc
- KM Culture
- Cinema Zenith Entertainment
- Cine 2000
- MK Pictures
- Jupiter Film
- Korean Film Council
- NTN News Today Star Today World Today
- Daegu Digital Industry Promotion Agency / DIP
- Daegu Media Centre
- HB Entertainment
- Blue Storm Productions
- SSD / Seafaring Sage Dreamers
- Boram Entertainment Inc
- Mini Film Co. Ltd Location Korea Company
- Asia Down Under
- Now Films
- The Korea Herald Herald Media
- Lion's Gate Entertainment
- Ascend Group
- BiNext Capital
- Daesung Group
- JC Entertainment
- Korea Animation Producer's Association
- Lotte Entertainment
- Sidus FNH
- Lee DDB
- TBWA/Korea
New Zealand Seminar
The seminar was MCed by Investment New Zealand's Mike Horgan, and New Zealand Ambassador Jane Coombs made a welcoming speech. Presentations were made by Film NZ, Park Road Post, Beachfront Films, Film Alchemy and Eyeworks Touchdown.
Among those attending was a well-known producer Mr Won-Seok Jang who produced the most popular Korean film of all time, King and the Clown that attracted a Korean audience of over 12 million. Mr Jang expressed considerable interest in shooting his next film in New Zealand.
New Zealand Reception and Cocktail Party
This was a hugely successful event hosted by the NZ Ambassador to South Korea, Ms Jane Coombs and over 150 VIPs and guests were welcomed by Ms Coombs and the Mayor of Auckland, Mr. Dick Hubbard who coincidentally was in Busan celebrating the sister city relationship between Auckland and Busan.
New Zealand Ambassador's Reception, Seoul
This was held at the Ambassador's Seoul Residence and proved a wonderful opportunity for networking with some of South Korea's most prominent producers, directors and production companies.
Conclusion
As a result of earlier hosting in New Zealand of members from the Korean Producers Association and Korean Film Art and Industry Association, New Zealand was invited to participate in the inaugural forum with film producers from Korea, Japan, China, Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong to discuss greater collaboration. As a result of this forum the organizers are looking to formally establish the Asia Producers Network (APN). New Zealand was the only non-Asian territory being offered the opportunity to join this network.
"Busan was hugely successful in raising New Zealand's film profile in a key market, we won the most popular booth award among film commissions, and our New Zealand presentation and reception were well attended. We've deepened our good relationships with key Korean film industry contacts and have also identified some new business leads," said New Zealand Trade and Enterprise's (NZTE) Trade Commissioner to South Korea Andrew French.
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