DANAFF III brings together two Asian cinema giants as judges

Two big names sit on the jury of the 2025 Danang Asian Film Festival: director Jang Joon-hwan and producer Shozo Ichiyama.

The third Da Nang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF III) will officially take place from June 29 to July 5, 2025, following two successful seasons, being honored in the Top 10 typical cultural events nationwide in 2023 and 2024. In addition to the film screenings, seminars and DANAFF's Talent training program, one of the biggest highlights of this year's event is the Asian Film Competition Category - which brings together outstanding cinematographic works from across the region and a prestigious and prestigious jury.

Korean Director Jang Joon-hwan: President of the Asian Film Jury

Leading the jury for the Asian Film category is Korean director Jang Joon-hwan – a familiar name to Asian and international cinema lovers. Born in 1970, Jang Joon-hwan graduated from Sungkyunkwan University with a degree in Arts, where he began his film career by making short films and studying film theory. Starting out as an assistant director and screenwriter, he quickly made his mark with his debut film "Save the Green Planet!" (2003), an unusual work that blends science fiction, psychology and black comedy.

"Save the Green Planet!" is considered by international critics to be one of the most daring films of Korean cinema in the early 21st century. The film brought Jang Joon-hwan a series of prestigious awards such as Best New Director at the Daejong Awards and Best Director at the Moscow International Film Festival. It is also one of 14 representative Korean films selected for screening in the "Spotlight on Korean Cinema" section at DANAFF III.

Throughout his career, Jang Joon-hwan has been known for his distinctive filmmaking style, combining many genres in the same work. His films are often metaphorical, humanistic, and ask profound questions about human nature and society. "Hwayi: A Monster Boy" tells the story of a boy raised by five criminal fathers, both action and contemplation. Meanwhile, "1987: When the Day Comes" takes audiences back to the period of the struggle for democracy in Korea, creating a box office fever and winning 27 domestic and international awards, including the Best Film award at Blue Dragon and Daesang at Baeksang 2018.

In real life, Jang Joon-hwan is also known for his happy marriage with actress and director Moon So-ri, who was the President of the DANAFF I Jury. His return at DANAFF III is expected to bring new, humane and profound cinematic perspectives.

Shozo Ichiyama – “Golden Hand” of Asian Cinema

Besides director Jang Joon-hwan, another notable face on the Asian Film Competition Jury is producer Shozo Ichiyama – currently the Program Director of the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) and one of the most influential figures in contemporary Asian cinema.

Born in 1963, Shozo Ichiyama graduated from Tokyo University and started his career at Shochiku before moving to Office Kitano - the company of the legendary Takeshi Kitano. From here, he began producing films for leading independent directors in Asia, helping them reach the world . His productions such as "Nowhere Man", "Good Men, Good Woman", "Flowers of Shanghai" are all important milestones in regional cinema.

In particular, Shozo Ichiyama is considered an indispensable companion in the career of Chinese director Jia Zhangke. From "Platform" (2000), "Unknown Pleasures" (2002) to "24 City" (2008) and "Caught by the Tides" (2024) - all bear the mark of the times, contributing to bringing Chinese cinema into the mainstream of world cinema. With "A Touch of Sin" (2013), he and Jia Zhangke won the Best Screenplay award at Cannes, affirming the position of Asian art films.

Scene from the movie "Caught by the Tides"

In addition to his role as a producer, Mr. Ichiyama is also the founder and director of the Tokyo Film Festival FILMeX – an important platform for discovering and introducing young directors, experimental works and new cinematic voices. Since 2021, he has been the TIFF Programming Director, where he has expanded the categories to include female directors, animation and works that are not yet widely known in the West.

Shozo Ichiyama's career has been recognized with the Kawakita Award in 2019 (Japan) and his role as a judge at prestigious international film festivals such as Sundance (USA). With his extensive experience in production and organization, he is expected to help DANAFF III select the most worthy works for the Best Asian Film award.

Inviting Jang Joon-hwan and Shozo Ichiyama to join the Asian Film Jury is a step that shows DANAFF III's serious investment in improving the quality of evaluation, connecting Vietnamese - Asian cinema with regional and international playgrounds. One is a director with a sharp artistic mindset, the other is a seasoned international film producer and curator - their combination promises to bring a fair, professional and inspiring competition.

With the spirit of “touching the depth of culture through cinema”, DANAFF III is becoming a new meeting place for Asian cinema – a place that not only honors excellent works, but is also a space for meeting, dialogue and discovery between talented filmmakers, prestigious organizers and cinema-loving audiences.

And the two judges – director Jang Joon-hwan and producer Shozo Ichiyama – are living proof of that aspiration.

Source: https://baohungyen.vn/danaff-iii-quy-tu-hai-ong-lon-dien-anh-chau-a-ngoi-ghe-giam-khao-3181794.html