Asia's stars walk the red carpet at Busan Film Festival

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The looming threat of Typhoon Kong-Rey failed to cloud a glittering opening to the 23rd Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) on Thursday, with a parade of the region's brightest stars gracing the red carpet.

The K-pop singer-turned-actress Choi Soo-young from the Republic of Korea (ROK) was joined at the festival's opening gala by the likes of China's Zhao Tao, who stars in the latest Jia Zhangke feature "Ash is Purest White", and actress Sammi Cheng from China's Hong Kong, with the drama "First Night Nerves".

Veteran Japanese composer and pianist Ryuichi Sakamoto, in town to collect the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award, took to the stage to perform the theme song from his Oscar-winning score for "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence".

Sakamoto also scored the animated feature "My Tyrano: Together, Forever", a Korean-Japanese-Chinese co-production having its world premiere in Busan.

Hong Kong director Stanley Kwan (C) and part of the actresses in the film "First Night Nerves" attend the opening ceremony of the 23rd Busan International Film Festival, Seoul, October 4, 2018. /VCG Photo

The composer said he hoped its themes of peace and tolerance would resonate with recent political developments in the region.

"It seems finally that peace is coming to the Korean peninsula and as an Asian, this fills me with immense joy," said Sakamoto. "Films help connect people and this is also what this film festival does."

Noted international filmmakers attending this year's event include Hollywood producer Jason Blum ("Whiplash") and Indian hit-maker Rajkumar Harani ("3 Idiots").

The world premiere of the drama "Beautiful Days" from the ROK opened the festival on Thursday, starring acclaimed actress Lee Na-young in her first role for six years. Lee plays a mother from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) reunited with her family after managing to reach the ROK.

Actress Lee Na-young from the Republic of Korea attends the press conference of the film "Beautiful Days", the opener of the 23rd Busan International Film Festival, Busan, ROK, October 4, 2018. /VCG Photo

Director Jero Yun told the festival's opening press conference the film's themes of reconciliation were a direct response to his personal hopes that relations between the DPRK and the ROK would continue to thaw.

"Like in my film, a dialogue is the first step," Yun said."I wanted to send a positive message to the audience and the hope that we see the dialogue continue."

BIFF runs until October 13 and will feature 323 films from 79 countries, including 115 having their world premieres.

(Top Photo: People walk past an installation for the Busan International Film Festival at the Busan Cinema Center in Busan, the ROK, October 4, 2018. /VCG Photo)

Source(s): AFP