Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of the Toronto International Film Festival, today announced that the 2014 City to City programme will focus on Seoul, South Korea.
“Seoul is one of the most exciting cities on the planet, and you can feel that energy in its films,” said Bailey. “South Korea's capital continues to produce consistently strong cinema, from art house to commercial. Seoul’s best auteurs win major festival awards, while its genre masters are sought after in Hollywood and its actors have won fans all across Asia. This year we want to introduce our audience to Seoul’s next generation. We are lucky to be based in Toronto, home to one of the most ardent audiences for Korean cinema.”
This year’s City to City section will be programmed by Bailey and Giovanna Fulvi, International Programmer for the Festival.
“Twelve years after the Festival’s showcase Harvest: South Korean Renaissance, which captured the resurgence of a great national cinema, it is both a pleasure and a must to once again explore Seoul,” said Fulvi. “After years of screening South Korea’s cinema, it’s a thrill to have the opportunity of this spotlight. When it comes to film, Seoul is a city that never fails to produce new talent and surprising works of art.”
This is the sixth year for the City to City series, which showcases filmmakers living and working in a selected city, regardless of where their films are set. Cities featured in past programmes include Tel Aviv, Istanbul, Buenos Aires, Mumbai and Athens. The City to City: Seoul lineup will be announced in August. The 39th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 4 to 14, 2014.