BIFF 2017 Opens

[Anchor Lead]

The 22nd Busan International Film Festival opened last night. In this year's celebration, 100 movies will make their world premiere, while the first virtual reality theater in the history of Korean film festivals will open.

[Pkg]

The 22nd Busan International Film Festival embarked on a cinematic journey yesterday. Despite the rain, some 4,000 film lovers from Korea and abroad came to see the opening ceremony held at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae-gu District. Roughly 250 movie stars and world-leading filmmakers, such as American director Oliver Stone, walked down the red carpet amid roaring cheers. This year's opening film was Korean director Shin Su-won's "Glass Garden."

[Soundbite] Moon Geun-young(Lead actress, "Glass Garden") : "I'm very honored that my film was chosen for the opening and that I am able to attend this festival."

Some 300 films from 75 countries, including 100 movies that are to make their world premieres, will be presented at this year's festival, scheduled to run until the 21st.

[Soundbite] Kang Soo-youn(Executive Director, BIFF) : "You can't miss the emerging Asian films and the special screenings. I think the films have become more diverse than in previous years."

During the festival, Korean movie stars, such as Lee Byung-hun, Jang Dong-gun, and Lee Je-hoon, will meet with their fans at the BIFF Village's outdoor stage on Haeundae Beach and in the theaters. Also, a virtual reality theater will be set up at the Busan Cinema Center for the first time in the history of Korean film festivals to provide audiences with a chance to enjoy 23 films not on the screen, but with VR devices.