314 films hailing from 79 countries, of which 98 are world premieres and a further 36 international premieres, comprise this year’s blockbuster BIFF lineup. Beyond the signature New Currents and Flash Forward programs, which screen debut and sophomore from Asian and Non-Asian filmmakers, respectively, the program is littered with award winning and critically acclaimed fare from around the globe. Cannes favorites Winter’s Sleep, Leviathan, Goodbye Language and Mommy, join a roster that includes major American indies such as Boyhood, The Homesman and Manglehorn, and Asian genre fare such as Tsukamto’s Fires on the Plain, Sono’s Tokyo Tribe, Johnnie To’ Don’t Go Breaking My Heart 2, Nakashima’s The World of Kanako and Miike’s Over Your Dead Body.

 

As always, a wide swath of Korean films will be presented, including recent commercial hits, arthouse favorites and brand new indies. KIM Han-min’s Roaring Currents, as well the other summer blockbusters, including SHIM Sung-bo’s Haemoo and LEE Seok-hoon’s The Pirates, will be presented alongside auteur films that are currently screening at the Venice and Toronto International Film Festivals, such as IM Kwon-taek’s Revivre, HONG Sangsoo’s Hill of Freedom, KIM Ki-duk’s One on One and BOO Ji-young’s Cart. Other acclaimed Korean filmmakers returning with brand new works include JANG Kunjae (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), LEE Kwang-kuk (A Matter of Interpretation) and LEE Don-ku (Entangled).

 

Meanwhile, this year’s classic Korean cinema retrospective will be devoted to director JUNG Jin-woo while other special programs will focus on Georgian Women Filmmakers and New Turkish Cinema.