BIFF Hosts Cinema By Brand Session Featuring Director Hong Eui-jeong

 New Opportunities for Branded Content at BIFF

The Cinema By Brand session, presented jointly by the Busan International Film Festival's Asia Contents & Film Market and global marketing agency Innocean, has opened up new possibilities for creative storytelling.

The "ACFM InnoAsia Cinema By Brand" session took place on October 12 during the 31st Busan International Film Festival. The event saw the attendance of key leadership figures, including Innocean CEO Kim Jung-ah, Hanwha Group Vice President Park Ji-young, and ACFM Director Kim Young-deok.

Cinema By Brand carries deep significance because it expands the potential of branded content—previously proven by Innocean through the short film Night Fishing as an independent cinematic work—into continuous opportunities for artistic creation.

Three Directors Selected for Space Solar Power Subject

During this specific session, organizers officially unveiled the first three selected cinematic projects along with the directors helming them. The chosen titles include Moon Sunset directed by Hong Eui-jeong, The New Mission directed by Lee Jin-ho, and Solar Poet directed by Edmund Yeo.

The competition attracted a total of 60 film directors hailing from eight different countries. The final three projects were chosen following a rigorous judging process by industry experts representing Hanwha Group, Innocean, the Asia Contents & Film Market, and the Producers Guild of Korea.

All three filmmakers interpreted the shared central theme of "space solar power" through their own distinct creative perspectives and imaginations. Among the selected creators, Director Hong Eui-jeong previously won the Best New Director award at the Blue Dragon Film Awards and the Best Director award in the film category at the 57th Baeksang Arts Awards for her feature debut Voice of Silence.

Expressing her feelings regarding the selection, Director Hong stated that she had harbored dreams directed toward the moon and space ever since her childhood. She shared that being able to bring a story to life that she had cherished so deeply feels truly like a dream.

Freedom in Creation and Future Outlook

Meanwhile, Director Lee Jin-ho drew significant industry attention after winning multiple accolades at the 25th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival for his film Action Hero, taking home Best Feature, Best Actor, Feature Distribution Support, and the Watcha New Talent Award.

Commenting on the collaboration, Director Lee noted that when making a film, if the core values pursued by the work naturally align with the direction of the brand, it does not differ greatly from conventional creative activity. He added that the provided support offers a good opportunity for creators to work with greater artistic freedom.

ACFM Director Kim Young-deok expressed strong anticipation for the initiative, stating that this session will serve as the very first answer demonstrating how commercial brands and cinema can meaningfully intersect. Following their production phase, these selected works are scheduled to be released to meet domestic and international audiences.

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