The 12th Pusan International Film Festival announces its Opening and Closing Films

August 29, 2007 (Busan, Korea) - The 12th Pusan International Film Festival announced today its opening and closing films. The festival will open with FENG Xiaogang’s Assembly (China), and close with Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone (Japan), a Japanimation by Hideaki ANNO, Kazuya TSURUMAKI, and Masayuki.
The much-anticipated Assembly world premieres at PIFF as the opening film. It is the newest film of FENG Xiaogang who gained nation-wide fame in China after making such films as The Banquet, A World Without Thieves, and A Sigh. Co-produced by China’s Huayi Brothers Media & Co. Ltd. and Korea’s MK Pictures, this film is more than a war-epic; it is a human drama of a soldier who devotes his entire life to redeeming the honor of his fellow soldiers who are declared missing in action. The battle scenes were perfected by the special effects team of 2004’s Korean hit, Taegukgi (English title: The Brotherhood of War).
The closing film, Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone (working title) is the theater adaptation of the 1995 TV animation series, Neon Genesis Evangelion that created die-hard mania and enjoys popularity even till today. In 1997, Neon Genesis Evangelion went to the big screen to see unprecedented box-office success, and this year, 10 years after Evangelion’s first theatrical release, the title is re-born with totally new ending and new interpretation. Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone - the first episode out of the trilogy- will be revealed in Japan on September 1st, 2007 and will international premiere at PIFF.


Opening Film - Assembly
FENG Xiaogang
Feng is an actor, director, and writer. He began his career in cinema working as an art designer in Beijing Television Art Center in 1985. Later, he moved on to writing screenplays working closely with director Zheng Xialong and writer Wang Shuo. He achieved his fame as director of Dream Factory (1997) which was a mega hit in China and established a genre called “Hesui Pian” (New Year Films). It is also interesting to note that almost all of Feng’s films star Ge You in a major role.


Closing Film - Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone
Hideaki ANNO
Born in 1960, Anno started making feature films and animations when he entered university. Upon graduation, he worked on Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984) directed by Hayao MIYAZAKI. In 1995, he directed the TV animation Neon Genesis Evangelion the last 2 episodes of which were theatrically released. Anno has also directed many other films, including Cutie Honey (2004).

Masayuki
Born in 1961, Nagano Prefecture. He worked as an Animation Director/ Key Animation Supervisor for Nadia of the Mysterious Seas (1990). He recently worked for Hideaki Anno’s feature titles.

Kazuya TSURUMAKI
Born in 1966, Niigata Prefecture. He worked for Neon Genesis Evangelion as a Second Director, and for the theatrical title of the series Evangelion: Death & Rebirth. He co-directed the title with Anno and Masayuki.

Source : PIFF