Press Release | 2024.07.11 |
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2024 CHANEL X BIFF Asian Film Academy Welcomes Director ZHANG Lu as Dean |
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The CHANEL X BIFF Asian Film Academy, a pioneering program dedicated to discovering and nurturing young Asian filmmaking talents, has officially announced its faculty and meticulously selected the final fellows for the upcoming 2024 edition. |
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ZHANG Lu, Asia’s Representative Cineaste as Dean,
Kamila ANDINI as Directing Mentor, and URATA Hideho as Cinematography Mentor! |
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[2024 CHANEL X BIFF Asian Film Academy Faculty]
Top: Director ZHANG Lu
Bottom (from left): Director Kamila ANDINI, Cinematographer Director URATA Hideho |
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The 2024 CHANEL X BIFF Asian Film Academy announces the acclaimed director Zhang Lu as Dean. His feature film debut, Tang Poetry (2004), garnered international recognition from prestigious film festivals such as Locarno and Vancouver. His subsequent work, Grain in Ear (2005) won the New Currents Award at the Busan International Film Festival and the ACID Awards at Cannes Critics’ Week and Desert Dream (2007) was nominated for the Golden Bear Award at Berlin.
His most recent work, The Shadowless Tower (2023) was invited to the Competition section at Berlin International Film Festival and received five awards at the Beijing International Film Festival. Through such works, Zhang has further solidified his reputation as a leading Asian film auteur. Driven by a unique cinematic vision that delves into the stories of marginalized individuals, Zhang’s films have consistently earned critical acclaim. Notably, Zhang has also dedicated himself to fostering future generations of talents, serving as a professor at Yonsei University for eight years since 2012.
Kamila Andini, the acclaimed Indonesian director, is joining as Directing Mentor. Andini’s distinctive perspective and insightful storytelling have captivated audiences worldwide, dealing with issues of social culture, gender equality, and environment. Her feature debut, The Mirror Never Lies (2011), won 15 awards from over 40 film festivals, including Berlin and Busan. Andini’s recent work, Cigarette Girl (2023), Indonesia’s first Netflix original series, showcases her ability to breathe new life into historical narratives.
Rounding out the esteemed faculty as Cinematography Mentor is the award-winning cinematographer Urata Hideho. Rising to prominence with A Land Imagined (2018), which won the Golden Leopard at the Locarno alongside Best Director of Photography at Valladolid and Achievement in Cinematography at Asia Pacific Screen Awards, Urata has established himself as a master of his craft. His recent contribution to Plan 75 (2022) further cemented his reputation, receiving a Special Mention in the Best Cinematography at Cannes.
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Record High Competitive Rate of 25 to 1!
Expecting Higher Project Quality through
Increase in Number of Productions and Enhanced Curriculum! |
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[2023 CHANEL X BIFF Asian Film Academy] |
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The 2024 CHANEL X BIFF Asian Film Academy saw a record-breaking number of applications, receiving a total of 613 submissions from 34 countries. This year's program demonstrates an encouraging increase in female applicants (up 14%) and a significant rise in participants from Southeast Asia.
The 2024 CHANEL X BIFF Asian Film Academy will explore individual creativity. In a departure from the original format where 24 filmmakers collaborated on two short films, each of the eight directing fellows will create a short film. This innovative approach marks the first significant curriculum change since the program's inception in 2005 and is expected to foster a unique space for each director to explore their artistic voice and push creative boundaries while maintaining high production quality. |
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Cannes Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, and More,
AFA Alumni Highly Acclaimed Around the World! |
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The outstanding achievements of Asian Film Academy (AFA) alums continue to attract international attention. The 2024 Cannes Film Festival's Un Certain Regard selection includes Viet and Nam (2024), directed and produced by 2012 alumni Truong Minh Quý and Bradley Liew. Additionally, Kiran Shrestha, a 2018 alumni who served as assistant director and editor on Shambhala (2024), which was directed by the 2013 alumni, Min Bahadur Bham, secured a coveted spot in the 2024 Berlin International Film Festival Competition.
The success of AFA alums extends further at the Berlin International Film Festival. Songs of Love and Hate, produced by Min Bahadur Bham, was an official selection for the Generation 14plus 2024, while In the Belly of a Tiger, by 2011 alumni Siddartha Jatla, and Oasis of Now by 2007 alum director Chee Sum Chia, both acquired the high honor of being invited to the Forum 2024.
Meanwhile, the final fellows of the 2024 CHANEL X BIFF Asian Film Academy will commence the 20-day curriculum from September 22nd (Sun) to October 11th (Fri), receiving specialized education and intensive mentoring to complete their short film productions. The 8 films completed during the program will be officially screened at the 29th Busan International Film Festival. |
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About CHANEL Arts & Culture
The CHANEL Culture Fund fosters a vibrant network of creators and innovators to advance the ideas that shape culture worldwide. Core programmes include CHANEL’s Art Partners, institutions whose leaders are supported in the development of ground-breaking, long-term initiatives that bring innovation to the cultural landscape. The CHANEL Next Prize celebrates artists and accelerates their future successes through access to resources and mentorship. And the podcast CHANEL Connects amplifies the voices of thought-leaders across disciplines, generations, and geographies—tackling the defining issues of our time.
From emerging curators at the MCA Chicago to leading ecologists at the Leeum Museum of Art in Seoul, from game-changing artists at the Venice Biennale to the brightest directors at the British Film Institute, the CHANEL Culture Fund champions creative audacity for a better future and extends a century of commitment to the arts. |
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■ The 29th Busan International Film Festival: Oct 2 (Wed) – Oct 11 (Fri)
■ The 19th Asian Contents & Film Market: Oct 5 (Sat) – Oct 8 (Tues) |
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