The Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) has announced that Jean-Jacques Beineix has been appointed head of the jury for the New Currents competition, which highlights emerging Asian filmmakers.

The Diva and Betty Blue director will be joined on the jury by Turkish director Yesim Ustaoglu, Thai director Pen-ek Ratanaruang, Taiwanese actress Terri Kwan and Korean cinematographer Kim Hyungkoo. The jury will present the two winners of the New Currents award with a cash prize of $30,000.

Meanwhile, the jury for the newly created Flash Forward Award, which focuses on non-Asian directors, includes producer Marianne Slot (Dancer In The Dark); Frederic Boyer, artistic director of Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight, and Alissa Simon, programmer of the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Jurors for the PIFF Mecenat Award in the Wide Angle section for documentaries include Old Partner producer Ko Youngjae; Dorothee Wenner, programmer of the Forum section of the Berlinale, and Jane Yu, film critic and programme director of the Taiwan International Documentary Festival.

On the list of jurors for the Sonje Award for short films in the Wide Angle section are Korean actor and director You Jitae, Finnish producer Simojukka Ruippo, and Malaysian director Tan Chui Mui.

The PIFF Mecenat Award and Sonje Award are awarded to the best documentary and best short film from among the Korean and Asian films invited to the Wide Angle section and come with a cash prize of $8,000 (KW10m) each.

The 14th PIFF will take place from October 8-16, while the Asian Film Market runs October 11-14.

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