A still scene of Er Dong (Photo from sina.com)

The Land of Scarecrows by Korean director Roh Gyeong-tae and Naked of Defenses by Masahide Ichii of Japan won the New Currents Awards at the Pusan International Film Festival in South Korea on Friday, website Sina.com reported.

Yang Jin, a young Chinese post-'80s director, won the New Currents Award special mention for his film Er Dong. Chinese director Zhang Yuan won the BFC-Busan Film Commission Award and 10 million won, or $7,675 for Executioner Garden, set in 1930s Shanghai.

Korean actors took home half the prizes awarded during the festival, which screened a record 315 movies from 60 countries, with 85 world premieres and 95 Asian premieres.

The Pusan International Film Festival had been cast under a shadow since it opened on October 2 after South Korean actress Choi Jin-Sil committed suicide and two other Korean women followed suit. The show business industry was greatly affected by the deaths, and a host of Korean celebrities canceled their appearances in Pusan.

Hong Kong directors Wong Kar-wai and Tsui Hark attended the festival. Wong's Ashes of Time Redux, a re-edited version of his 1994 martial-arts drama, was deemed a must-see film at the festival.

Although the festival has provided a platform and market for filmmakers, many film professionals bemoaned the shrinkage of deals locked down and the lack of big-name actors. Some attendees said they doubted that the festival would boost the growth of the Asian film market, the report said.

(CRIENGLISH.com October 11, 2008)