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Rintaro to attend 31st Busan International Film Festival for Japanese animation retrospective

The festival's 13-film special program will showcase a century of Japanese animation history, excluding prominent Studio Ghibli directors in favor of works that influenced them.

The short version

  • The 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) will feature a 13-film Japanese Animation Special program spanning a century of the medium's history.
  • Acclaimed director Rintaro will make his first trip to South Korea in 17 years to attend the event alongside four next-generation directors.
  • The curated lineup purposely excludes masters Miyazaki Hayao and Takahata Isao, focusing instead on theatrical originals that influenced them and have rarely screened in Korean cinemas.

Key facts

  • The 31st Busan International Film Festival, running from October 6 to October 15, features a 13-film Japanese Animation Special program.[Variety]
  • Animation director Rintaro is visiting Korea for the first time in 17 years to attend the festival.[Variety]
  • Rintaro will be accompanied by four newer-generation directors: Kadowaki Kohei, Katanosaka Ryo, Natsume Shingo, and Shinomiya Yoshitoshi.[Variety]
  • According to BIFF festival director Jung Hanseok, the lineup deliberately excludes Miyazaki Hayao and Takahata Isao, opting instead for works that shaped their filmmaking.[Variety]
  • The featured films range from early landmarks like Toei Animation's 'The White Snake Enchantress' (1958) to newer independent films like Shinomiya Yoshitoshi's 'A New Dawn'.[Variety]

Sources