제16회 부산국제영화제

It's the beginning of autumn in Busan again.  Therefore, the 2011 version of the Busan International Film Festival (부산국제영화제) is now in full swing!  And it's a pretty special year for the festival.

Official banner of the 16th Busan International Film Festival.

First of all, this is the first year that the festival is referred to using the acronym BIFF.  That's right, the festival's acronym has been changed to reflect the evolving consensus on the english pronunciation of the name of the city in which it is annually held.  In the english-speaking world, the Korean city of 부산 has been known for a long time as Pusan.  But over the last decade, it has been referred to more and more as Busan.  And so, the PIFF has become the BIFF.

But most importantly, this is the first year that the festival is held in the Busan Cinema Center (부산영화의전당), a special venue constructed especially to host the BIFF.  The Center is an IMPRESSIVE work of architecture, and that the city of Busan has invested in its construction attests to the importance of the BIFF in this city.  Located in Haeundae gu (해운대구), it is nestled in one of the most modernized areas of Busan.  It neighbours the Busan branch of Shinsegae (신네계백화점), the world's largest department store.  All future installments of the BIFF are to be hosted at the Center.  In addition, the Cinemathèque Busan (시네마테크부산), a public film archive currently located a few kilometers away on the Pacific coast, will be relocated here.

The side entrance of the Busan Cinema Center.

At the entrance of the Busan Cinema Center, there is a large overhanging roof, the purpose of which appears to be to shelter film stars from the weather as they exit their cars to make their entrance at the BIFF.  Since the 2011 BIFF has begun, the Busan Cinema Center's roof has been alight in a dazzling display of colour.  What a sight it is!

The entrance of the Busan Cinema Center.

A night view of the Busan Cinema Center.

A night view of the Busan Cinema Center.