TIFF Spotlights Seoul in City to City Programme for TIFF 2014

Jeon Do-yeon in the The Housemaid, a recent TIFF hit from South Korea.

The Toronto International Film Festival will shine a spotlight on Seoul this fall! TIFF Artistic Director Cameron Bailey made the announcement today that Seoul, South Korea will be the focus of the City to City programme at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. The City to City programme is a central part of the festival’s dedication to highlighting currents of world cinema in different corners of the globe. “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.”

International Programmer Giovanna Fulvi will join Bailey on programming duties for the City to City line-up and noted “When it comes to film, Seoul is a city that never fails to produce new talent and surprising works of art.” The films in the City to City programme will be announced in August. Seoul marks an exciting choice for the festival, as recent South Korean hits at the festival include the Gala presentations of Cold Eyes (TIFF ’13) and The Housemaid (TIFF ’10), exciting art house/commercial crossovers like Countdown (TIFF ’11), and in the selections by ever present auteurs like Hong Sang-soo with Our Sunhi (TIFF ’13) and In Another Country (TIFF ’12) and  Kim Ki-duk with Moebus (TIFF ’13) and Pieta (TIFF ’12), the latter of which won the Golden Lion at the 2012 Venice Film Festival before screening in Toronto.

2014 marks 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.

Finger crossed for 11 days of Jeon Do-yeon!!!

The Toronto International Film Festival runs September 4 to 14, 2014.