After arriving at Incheon Airport on the awesome business class seat. I took the bus from Seoul to Jeonju.
The epic bus ride lasted for more than 4 hours.
(The bus ride from my place to Narita airport was 1.5 hours, the flight from Tokyo to Seoul was 2.5 hours)
I fell asleep, woke up, I was still in the bus. I started reading Herman Hesse's Siddhartha on the iPhone. I finished the entire book, and then I reached Jeonju, by then I had almost attained Enlightenment.
It rained from Seoul to Jeonju.
After reaching the airport, I sprinted to a nearby cafe, met up with dad (who arrived from Malaysia few days earlier), Philip (who had jury duties in the festival), Jean (she writes for global film trade paper) and Hyerin (she's in a rock band). And then headed off for dinner (they were all waiting for me).
For dinner, we had, of course, Korean BBQ.
It was pretty yummy.
I had bibimbap with the BBQ, it was an unholy combination.
Here are some videos, where you can see Hyerin (she's Korean), prepping the BBQ with sheer skills.
video
video 2
It was a good way to start the festival. I then headed back to the hotel to sleep.
The next day (1st of May).
I had bibimbap for brunch.
Kiki Sugino, star and producer of my short, EXHALATION, had arrived, and was there too for the meal.
We were the EXHALATION team.
The festival was a busy one, the area in front of the festival lounge is a favourite resting spot for people.
We rested there for a while, Kiki made a convincing case that she should be the spokesperson for Doutor Coffee.
I then headed off.
To do a TV interview.
This is me, before the interview.
Tis' me, after the interview.
Evening came, I then rejoined Kiki for the EXHALATION screening, which was part of the World Cinema Shorts 1 program with TALES by Raya Martin, Antoine Thirion and Saskia Gruyaert, THE ACCORDION by Jafar Panahi and BOYS by Matsunaga Daishi. I noticed that Kiki and I were the only ones making our first appearances in Jeonju Film Fest, the directors of the other three shorts have had their works shown in earlier editions of the festival.
So here's the Q and A session after the screening. (from left to right) Antoine Thirion was the sole film delegate of TALES, Kiki and I for EXHALATION and Daishi for BOYS.
I spoke.
Then Kiki spoke.
When she introduced herself in Korean (Kiki is Japanese Korean) the audiences were joyous, and remained mesmerized.
After the session... Yuka Sakano (she's from the Kawakita Memorial Film Institute), me, Kiki and Daishi.
Team EXHALATION celebrates.
The epic bus ride lasted for more than 4 hours.
(The bus ride from my place to Narita airport was 1.5 hours, the flight from Tokyo to Seoul was 2.5 hours)
I fell asleep, woke up, I was still in the bus. I started reading Herman Hesse's Siddhartha on the iPhone. I finished the entire book, and then I reached Jeonju, by then I had almost attained Enlightenment.
It rained from Seoul to Jeonju.
After reaching the airport, I sprinted to a nearby cafe, met up with dad (who arrived from Malaysia few days earlier), Philip (who had jury duties in the festival), Jean (she writes for global film trade paper) and Hyerin (she's in a rock band). And then headed off for dinner (they were all waiting for me).
For dinner, we had, of course, Korean BBQ.
It was pretty yummy.
I had bibimbap with the BBQ, it was an unholy combination.
Here are some videos, where you can see Hyerin (she's Korean), prepping the BBQ with sheer skills.
video
video 2
It was a good way to start the festival. I then headed back to the hotel to sleep.
The next day (1st of May).
I had bibimbap for brunch.
Kiki Sugino, star and producer of my short, EXHALATION, had arrived, and was there too for the meal.
We were the EXHALATION team.
The festival was a busy one, the area in front of the festival lounge is a favourite resting spot for people.
We rested there for a while, Kiki made a convincing case that she should be the spokesperson for Doutor Coffee.
I then headed off.
To do a TV interview.
This is me, before the interview.
Tis' me, after the interview.
Evening came, I then rejoined Kiki for the EXHALATION screening, which was part of the World Cinema Shorts 1 program with TALES by Raya Martin, Antoine Thirion and Saskia Gruyaert, THE ACCORDION by Jafar Panahi and BOYS by Matsunaga Daishi. I noticed that Kiki and I were the only ones making our first appearances in Jeonju Film Fest, the directors of the other three shorts have had their works shown in earlier editions of the festival.
So here's the Q and A session after the screening. (from left to right) Antoine Thirion was the sole film delegate of TALES, Kiki and I for EXHALATION and Daishi for BOYS.
I spoke.
Then Kiki spoke.
When she introduced herself in Korean (Kiki is Japanese Korean) the audiences were joyous, and remained mesmerized.
After the session... Yuka Sakano (she's from the Kawakita Memorial Film Institute), me, Kiki and Daishi.
Team EXHALATION celebrates.
