SA pagdiriwang ng One Hundred Years of Philippine Cinema, ang Pilipinas ay ang Country of Focus sa 23rd Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). Bahagi ng official announcement ng organizers na ang Philippine cinema ay bibigyan ng focus sa activities and events sa naturang filmfest na ang mga delegado ay pangungunahan ng Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) sa pamumuno ni Chairperson Liza Diño Seguerra.

Nagsimula na ito kahapon, Biyernes, Oktubre 4 hanggang October 13 sa Busan, South Korea.

Ang Pilipinas ang napiling Country of Focus ngayong taon sa BIFF, na 19 na Pinoy films ang itatampok at mapapanood sa pinakamalaking film festival sa Asya.

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Masaya si Ms. Liza dahil very timely ang malaking exposure at opportunity na ito ng Pilipinas sa BIFF kasabay ng centennial celebration ng Philippine cinema.

“Nakakatuwa na they’re really giving us this platform to celebrate our one hundred years of cinema. Napakagrandeng take-off siya to the next events to come as we celebrate our one hundred years.

“Why is this important? It’s important because naha-highlight yung bansa natin. Hindi lang tayo one of the countries featured. Imagine for this one, 19 films ang dala-dala natin.

“We have ten films in Retrospective, anim for exhibition, dalawang short films at isang documentary. So, talagang napakalaki ng presence natin this year sa Busan International Film Festival,” masayang sabi ng hepe ng FDCP.

Base sa send-off presscon ng FDCP para sa Busan delegates na ginanap noong October Max’s restaurant ay 10 Filipino classics in retrospective ang kabilang sa Busan Special program- A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino directed by Lamberto Avellana (1965); Ganito Kami Noon Paano Kayo Ngayon? directed by Eddie Romero (1976); Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos directed by Mario O’Hara (1976); Ang Panday directed by Fernando Poe Jr. (1980); Cain at Abel directed by Lino Brocka (1982); Moral directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya (1982); Himala directed by Ishmael Bernal (1982); Bayaning 3rd World directed by Mike de Leon (2000); Dekada ‘70 directed by Chito Rono (2002); at Ang Damgo ni Eleuteria directed by Remton Siega Zuasola (2010).

For exhibition ay anim na pelikula, kabilang ang A Window on Asian Cinema Section – Citizen Jake directed by Mike de Leon (2018); Alpha, the Right to Kill directed by Brillante Mendoza (2018); The Eternity Between Seconds directed by Alec Figuracion (2018); Gusto Kita With All My Hypothalamus directed by Dwein Balthazar (2018); Lakbayan directed by Lav Diaz, Brillante Mendoza, and Kidlat Tahimik (2018) at Signal Rock directed by Chito Roño (2018).

Para naman sa Wide Angle section, itatampok ang dalawang short films na Last Order directed by Joji Alonso at Manila is Full of Men Named Boy directed by Stephen Lee. Kasama rin ang documentary na Land from God directed by Kevin Piamonte (2018).

Memorable at espesyal kay Liza ang Busan International Film Festival dahil ito ang kauna-unahang international film fest na pinuntahan niya nang maupo siya bilang FDCP Chairman noong 2016. Marami rin siyang naging partners sa BIFF kaya nagbukas ang opportunity na ito sa Pilipinas.

Samantala, first time namang dumalo ni Judy Ann Santos kasama ang asawang si Ryan Agoncillo ng isang international film festival kaya labis ang kasiyahan ang aktres.

Kabilang ang pelikula niyang Mindanao, The Movie na idinirek ni Brillante Mendoza ang rumampa sa red carpet ceremony para sa 24th Busan International Film Festival.