My highlight of Korea’s hot, humid summers is attending South Korea’s Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), which I have done every year that I have lived in Korea since arriving in 2008. As a matter of fact, I got my start with Gruesome Magazine’s Grue-Crew by covering BIFAN for Horror News Radio. This year, […]
Tag: BiFan
South Korea’s Genre Film Showcase Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival Announces Its Hybrid Approach for 2020
COVID-19 can’t keep South Korea’s Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) — Asia’s largest genre film fest — down, as the fest has officially announced that it will take what it calls a hybrid approach for its 2020 edition, running July 9–16. The fest will screen 174 features and short films from 42 countries on […]
[Film Festival] Reviews of Boar, Ruin Me, and Summer of 84 (BIFAN, 2018)
South Korea’s Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), Asia’s largest genre film fest, once again served up more than 200 films from around the globe this summer. Between July 12 and 22, the fest offered horror, science fiction, dark comedy, fantasy, thriller, and other movies. This article looks at three of the offerings, along with […]
[Review] The Heretics (BiFan, 2017) – by Joseph Perry
Joseph Perry reports from BiFan (Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival) about the latest Chad (Bite) Archibald horror film, The Heretics. Featuring Nina Kiri, Jorja Candence, and Ry Barrett, the film features a cult that returns from the dead to terrorize a young girl who once escaped their grasp. Joseph chimes in on the direction, the […]
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[Review] Better Watch Out (Bifan / Popcorn Frights, 2017) – by Joseph Perry
Joseph Perry shares his thoughts on a film he caught at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival called Better Watch Out (2017). The film will also screen at the Popcorn Frights Film Festival. It also took the “gold prize” for “Best North American, South American, or European Feature Film” at the 2017 Fantasia International Film […]
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[Review] The Endless (BIFAN, 2017) – by Joseph Perry
Joseph Perry joins Doc Rotten to discuss The Endless from directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead. Joseph caught the film at the Bucheaon Internation Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) in Bucheon, South Korea recently. The film also played at the Fantasia International Film Festival (July 12 – August 2, 2017) in Montreal, Canada and again at […]
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The 21st Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival: Top 10 Most Anticipated Films
My favorite film festival here in South Korea, the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan), kicks off its 21st edition this week on Thursday, July 13. The fest runs through July 23 with a slate of more than 200 feature-length and short films from around the world, focusing on horror, science fiction, fantasy, dark comedy, […]
[Podcast] The Similars (BiFan 2016) — Wreak Havoc Horror Film Festival — Episode 007 — HNR EXTRA
This week Joseph Perry chimes in from across the globe, South Korea to be exact. Mr. Perry is excited to share his thoughts with the HNR Extra listeners on a number of films he caught at the recent Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. This week dives into another brilliant Sci-Fi/Horror film THE SIMILARS from director […]
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“20 Matches” (BIFAN 2016): Mesmerizing Serial Killer Tale Told with Impactful Spareness
Writer/director/producer Mark Tapio Kines’ short film 20 Matches (United States, 2016) is simplicity at its most effective. Using only one actress and the titular matchsticks, the short delivers a terrifying and disturbing piece of cinema. Without any action, backdrop, or special effects, actress Nina Rausch looks directly at viewers as she relates the tale of […]
[Podcast] Creepy (BiFan 2016) — Fear the Walking Dead — Episode 006 — HNR EXTRA
This week Joseph Perry chimes in from across the globe, South Korea to be exact. Mr. Perry is excited to share his thoughts with the HNR Extra listeners on a number of films he caught at the recent Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. This week dives into another brilliant Asian modern horror classic with the […]
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“Creepy” (BIFAN 2016): Japanese Thriller Lives Up to Its Title Thanks to a Disturbing Villain
Teruyuki Kagawa gives a masterful, absolutely chilling performance as an unnerving yet hypnotic villain in director Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s remarkable psychological thriller Creepy (Japan, 2015). The famed director of Japanese horror classics Cure (1997) and Pulse (2001) delivers one of the most well-crafted and unnerving cinematic experiences of the year in his latest outing. Koichi Takakura […]
“They Will All Die in Space” (BIFAN 2016): Drifting Spaceship Crew Turns to Desperate Measures in Science Fiction Short
Writer/director/producer Javier Chillon offers up helpings of both tension and dread in his science fiction/horror short film They Will All Die in Space (Spain, 2015). Although the short’s title gives viewers a pretty good idea about what is in store for the crew of the ill-fated Starship Tantalus, the reward of the film is finding […]
“Thorn” (BIFAN 2016): Unnerving Practical Effects and First-Rate Acting Highlight Psychic-Horror Short
Body and psychic horror abound in the Japanese horror short Thorn (2015) as a cactus with supernatural powers brings tragedy to a family. Writer/director/editor/special makeup effects artist Soichi Umezawa has crafted a film that shocks and touches, while also serving as a showcase for his amazing practical effects work. Asuka Kurosawa stars as Keiko Takizawa, […]
“The Master Cleanse” (BIFAN 2016): Retreat Goers Let Out the Monsters Inside Them
Often the things that frighten us most are creations of our own making, yet when given the opportunity to rid ourselves of these fears and frustrations, many of us are reluctant to eliminate the negativity, as evidenced in writer/director Bobby Miller’s The Master Cleanse (Canada/USA, 2016). Combining elements of body horror, new-age-philosophy satire, and wry […]
[Podcast] Demon (BiFan 2016) — Interview: Clint Carney and Kelton Jones from Dry Blood — Episode 005 — HNR EXTRA
This week Joseph Perry chimes in from across the globe, South Korea to be exact. Mr. Perry is excited to share his thoughts with the HNR Extra listeners on a number of films he caught at the recent Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. This week dives into the highly regarded Polish dybbuk film DEMON from […]
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