South Korean filmmaker Jang Joon-hwan. Photo theasiancinemacritic.com

HÀ NỘI — A highlight of this year’s Đà Nẵng Asian Film Festival (DANAFF) Asian Film section is its esteemed jury panel, chaired by renowned South Korean filmmaker Jang Joon-hwan and composed of prominent cinema experts from Việt Nam and around the world.

Prominent Korean filmmaker

Born in 1970, Jang Joon-hwan graduated with a degree in Arts from Sungkyunkwan University, where he began exploring both the theoretical and practical dimensions of filmmaking.

After graduation, he launched his career as an assistant director and screenwriter, gaining valuable experience in South Korea’s rapidly evolving film industry in the late 20th century. In 2003, he made his directorial debut with Save the Green Planet!, a bold, genre-defying film that blends sci-fi, dark comedy, and psychological drama.

The film earned him numerous prestigious national and international awards, including Best New Director at both the Daejong Film Awards and the Blue Dragon Awards in South Korea, Best Film at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), and the Golden Raven at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival in Belgium.

A scene in Save the Green Planet! (2003). Photo courtesy of CJ Entertainment

He later cemented his reputation with Hwayi: A Monster Boy (2013) and achieved major commercial and critical success with 1987: When the Day Comes (2017), which attracted over seven million viewers.

Jang Joon-hwan is celebrated for his ability to blend multiple genres within a single film, crafting narratives that are both thought-provoking and compelling. His filmmaking style is often described as bold, unconventional, and rich in symbolism.

Notably, Jang Joon-hwan and his wife, acclaimed actress Moon So-ri, attended the inaugural DANAFF in 2023, where she served as Jury President for the Asian Film section.

Actress Moon So-ri (second from left) served as Jury President for the Asian Film section at Đà Nẵng Asian Film Festival I in 2023. Photo VFDA

Shozo Ichiyama joins the jury

Joining Jury President Jang Joon-hwan on the panel is renowned producer Shozo Ichiyama, Executive Director of the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF).

Born in 1963, Shozo Ichiyama is a distinguished Japanese film producer and festival director, widely recognised for his contributions to the promotion of Asian cinema. He graduated from the University of Tokyo and began his career at Shochiku in 1987, where he produced acclaimed films such as Nowhere Man (2005), Good Men, Good Women (1995), Goodbye South, Goodbye (1996), and Flowers of Shanghai (1998).

In 1998, he joined Office Kitano, where he began producing films by independent Asian filmmakers, helping them achieve significant international recognition.

Among his most notable works are Blackboard (2000) from Iran, which won the Jury Prize and was nominated for the Palme d’Or at Cannes, and A Touch of Sin (2013) by Jia Zhangke, which received the Best Screenplay award at Cannes.

Japanese producer Shozo Ichiyama. Photo IMDb

Ichiyama has been a long-time collaborator of Jia Zhangke, one of the most influential directors in Chinese cinema. He has produced many of Jia’s iconic films, including Platform (2000), Unknown Pleasures (2002), The World (2004), and 24 City (2008) — all of which explore the evolving social landscape of China through poignant stories of love, loss, and human struggle.

In 2024, he once again teamed up with Jia for Caught by the Tides, a critically acclaimed film selected for the main competition at the Cannes Film Festival.

Beyond producing, Shozo Ichiyama also founded Tokyo FILMeX, a film festival dedicated to showcasing independent Asian cinema, where he served as Festival Director. Since 2021, he has been the Programming Director of the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF).

He has played a pivotal role in shaping TIFF into a key platform for discovering new talent and championing Asian cinema. In 2024, he placed special emphasis on highlighting works by emerging directors, underrepresented films in the West, and expanding categories such as animation and films by female directors.

Ichiyama was awarded the Kawakita Award in 2019 for his outstanding contribution to promoting Japanese cinema internationally. In 2023, he served as a juror for the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the Sundance Film Festival in the United States.

DANAFF, returning this year to the coastal city from June 29 to July 5, is co-organised by the Đà Nẵng Department of Culture and Sports and the Việt Nam Film Development Association (VFDA).

With the theme "Asian Bridges", the festival will welcome Asian and international filmmakers, renowned Vietnamese directors and artists, and present screenings by young filmmakers. It is expected to draw large numbers of cinema lovers to the coastal city. — VNS