The Korean Film Council (KOFIC, Chairman: KIM Eui-suk) went to Argentina with seven Korean film studios to participate in the biggest film market in South America, Ventana Sur, which was held from November 30th to December 3rd. They joined the market with the purpose of vitalizing exchange between Korean and Argentine film industries, and held the ‘Korean Film Night’.

 

At the ‘Korean Film Night’, held at 7:30 p.m. on December 2nd (UCT-3), important figures related to Argentine film such as Bernardo BERGERET, the chairman of Instituto Nacional de Cine y Artes Audiovisuales (INCAA, Argentine equivalence of KOFIC) and director of Ventana Sur, JEON Seung-hun, an aide at the Argentine Federal Ministry of Culture, Marcelo ALDERETE, a programmer of the Mar del Plata Film Festival, Marcelo PANOZZO, director of the Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente (BAFICI), and Bernado PALAU from the Mercado de Industrias Culturales Argentinas (MICA) as well as film-related people from other South American nations like Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Peru and Colombia appeared, which demonstrated the high interest in the region for exchange with the Korean film industry.

 

Seven Korean film studios attended Ventana Sur with KOFIC including CJ E&M, 9ers Entertainment, Daisy & Cinergy, FINECUT, Lotte Entertainment, M-Line Distribution and Mirovision had more than 100 meetings with South American companies and held active discussions with them. South American people were very interested in co-production and collaboration between Korea and their countries and mentioned the possibilities of constant cooperation by inviting Korean films to content markets and film festivals in their countries.

 

KOFIC focused on supporting promotion to South America as part of a new market expansion project this year. They held the ‘Special Program for Korean New Directors’ at the Mar del Plata Film Festival that took place in Argentina between November 17th and 25th. During the festival, tickets for most Korean films were sold out and Argentina’s media reported heavily about Korean film.

 

KIM Eui-suk, the chairman of KOFIC and Liliana MAZURE, chairwoman of INCAA signed an MOU for co-production and mutual distribution between Korea and Argentina at 2 p.m. on November 19th (UTC-3) to consolidate the foothold for cultural exchanges through the industrial domain and film.

 

As Korean film studios went in force to Ventana Sur, the biggest film market in South America, the footing for exchange between Korean and South American film industries has been established and further collaborative projects are expected to be discussed between Korea and South American companies later on.