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{{Short description|Horror films festival in South Korea}}
{{Infobox Film Festival
| name = Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival
| image = Bifan emblem.jpg
| caption = Official emblem
| number =
| founded = 1997
| host = BIFAN Organizing Committee
| location = [[Bucheon]], [[South Korea]]
| language = Korean<br>English
| website = {{url|http://bifan.kr}}
| next = 26th
| main = Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival
| previous = 24th
}}

The '''Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival''' ({{ko-hhrm|부천국제판타스틱영화제|富川國際판타스틱映畵祭}}), or '''BiFan''', is an international [[film festival]] held annually in July in [[Bucheon]], [[South Korea]]. Prior to 2015, it was known as the '''Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival''' or '''PiFan'''.<ref name="pusan18:Screen">{{Cite news |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/18th-pifan-opens-with-stereo-/5075321.article |title= 18th PiFan opens with Stereo, Producers' Choice Awards |work= Screen Daily |author= Jean Noh |date= July 18, 2014|access-date= July 18, 2021}}</ref> Inaugurated in 1997, the festival focuses on [[Cinema of South Korea|South Korean]] and international horror, thriller, mystery and fantasy films, with particular attention to [[Asian cinema]] from [[East Asian cinema|East Asia]] and [[Southeast Asian cinema|Southeast Asia]].

The [[25th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival]] was held from 8 to 18 July 2021, it featured 257 films from 47 countries. The film festival due to the impact of the COVID-19 is held in a 'hybrid' format (online and offline) at 5 different locations including Oul Madang and CGV Picnic.<ref name="lead: Yonhap">{{Cite news |url=https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/001/0012513867 |title= '장르 영화 축제' 부천국제판타스틱영화제 개막…방역에 총력 |trans-title= 'Genre Film Festival' Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival opens... focus on quarantine |author= Yoon Tae-hyu |work= Yonhap News |publisher= Naver |date= July 8, 2021|access-date= July 11, 2021|language=ko}}</ref> As per quarantine guidelines for COVID-19 pandemic containment, online screening of 154 films (61 feature films, 93 short films), which is about 60% of the entire film festival are open on WAAVE [[Over-the-top media service|over-the-top (OTT)]] service.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://n.news.naver.com/mnews/article/003/0010598982?sid=101 |title= 웨이브, 오늘부터 부천국제판타스틱영화제 온라인 상영관 오픈 |trans-title= Wave, Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival online screening open from today |author= Lee Jin-young |work= Newsis |publisher= Naver |date= July 9, 2021|access-date= July 11, 2021|language=ko}}</ref>

==Program==
The festival's programming consists of following sections:
* Opening film
* Bucheon Choice
** Bucheon Choice Features
** Bucheon Choice: Shorts 1 Edit
** Bucheon Choice: Shorts 2
* Korean Fantastic
** Korean Fantastic: Competition
** Korean Fantastic: Features
** Korean Fantastic: Shorts
* World Fantastic Red
* World Fantastic Blue
* Family Zone
* Forbidden Zone
* Strange Hommage
* Fantastic Short Films
* Vertical Short Film Special Screening : 25
* BIFAN x wavve Online Screening

==Awards==
The festival is a non-competitive international film festivals with partial competition. It gives away following awards:<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.bifan.kr/bifan/05_01.asp |title= BIFAN: Awards |work= Bifan |date= July 9, 2021|access-date= July 17, 2021|language=en}}</ref>

* Bucheon Choice: It is the international competition section of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. It offers these awards:
**Bucheon Choice Feature:
**Best Picture (Award of KRW 20 million)
**Director Award (5 million won in prize money)
**Special Jury Prize (5 million won in prize money)
**Featured Audience Award
*Bucheon Choice: Short
**Best Short Film (5 million won in prize money)
**Short Film Jury Award (3 million won in prize money)
**Short Audience Award
*Korean Fantastic: This is a domestic competition section for the Korean films.
*Korean Fantastic: Feature
**Korean Fantastic Film Award (20 million won in prize money)
**Korean Fantastic Director Award (5 million won in prize money)
**Korean Fantastic Actor Award (2 people)
**Korean Fantastic Audience Award
**NH Agricultural Negotiation (distribution support award, 10 million won)
**CGV Award (Distribution Support Award, 10 million won)
**Best Feature Award (2 films, 5 million won each)
*Korean Fantastic: Short
**Korean Fantastic Short Film Award (5 million won in prize money)
**Korean Fantastic Short Audience Award
**Best Short Film that Watcha noticed (5 episodes, 1 million won each)
*Méliès International Film Festival Federation (MIFF) Asian Film Award: This award is given for the purpose of discovering and promoting Asian fantastic genre films.
*NETPAC award: This award is awarded by Netpack, the Asian Film Promotion Organization.

==History==
* The 11th edition of PiFan, held from 12 to 24 July 2007, featured 225 films from 33 countries.
*The 12th edition of PiFan was held from 18 July to 27 July 2008.
*The 18th edition of Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival (PiFan) was held from 17 July to 27 July 2014, featuring 210 films from 47 countries.<ref name="pusan18:Screen" />
* The 19th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival took place from 16 to 26 July 2015. It showcased 235 films from 45 countries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kofic.org/eng/news/news.jsp?blbdComCd=601006&seq=3468&mode=VIEW |title= Antoine Bardou-Jacquet’s MOONWALKERS to Open 19th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival |author= Sonia Kil |date= June 17, 2015 |access-date= June 18, 2021|work=[[Korean Film Council|KOFIC]]}}</ref>
* The 20th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival took place from 21 to 31 July 2016. It showcased 320 films from 49 countries.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://asianfilmfestivals.com/2016/08/08/winners-bucheon-international-fantastic-film-festival-2016/ |title= Winners of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival 2016 |website= Asian Film Festivals |last= Nadilo |first= Sabastian |date= August 8, 2016 |access-date= July 18, 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
* The 21st edition of BiFan was held from 13 July to 23 July 2017. It featured 289 films from 58 countries.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/south-koreas-bucheon-fantastic-fest-sets-opening-closing-films-1013766/amp/ |title= South Korea’s Bucheon Fantastic Fest Sets Opening, Closing Films |website= The Hollywood Reporter |date= June 15, 2017 |access-date= July 18, 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
* The 22nd edition of BiFan was held from 12 July to 22 July 2018. It featured 290 films from 53 countries.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/south-koreas-bucheon-fantastic-fest-spotlight-horror-masters-women-film-1117965/ |title= South Korea’s Bucheon Fantastic Fest to Spotlight Horror Masters, Women in Film |website= The Hollywood Reporter |last= Lee |first= Hyo-won |date= June 7, 2018 |access-date= July 17, 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
* The 23rd Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival took place from June 27 to 7 July 2019. It featured 299 films from 54 countries (166 Features, 133 Shorts).<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://m.bifan.kr/eng/bifan/01_bifan.asp |title= BIFAN 2019: Introduction |work= Bifan |date= July 7, 2019|access-date= July 18, 2021|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://asianfilmfestivals.com/2019/07/05/bucheon-international-fantastic-film-festival-awards-2019/ |title= 23rd Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival – Awards 2019 |website= Asian Film Festivals |last= Nadilo |first= Sabastian |date= July 5, 2019 |access-date= July 17, 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
* The 24th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival took place from July 9 to 16, 2020. It featured 194 films from 42 countries.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://asianfilmfestivals.com/2020/07/10/films-cant-miss-bucheon-international-fantastic-film-festival-part1/ |title= 20 Films you can’t miss at the 24th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Part 1) |website= Asian Film Festivals |last= Nadilo |first= Sabastian |date= July 10, 2020 |access-date= July 17, 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2020/07/17/entertainment/movies/BIFAN-Bucheon-194-films/20200717170800339.html |title= 24th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival comes to a close |website= Korea JoongAng Daily |last= Lee |first= Jae-Lim |date= July 17, 2020 |access-date= July 17, 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
* The 25th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival was held from 8 to 18 July 2021, it featured 257 films from 47 countries.<ref name="lead: Yonhap" />

==Boycott==
The festival faced a [[boycott]] in 2005 to protest what was seen by critics as meddling by Bucheon mayor [[Hong Geon-pyo]]. A rival event called RealFanta was organized that year on the same dates as BiFan by former festival director Kim Hong-joon. The festival returned in 2006 without any dispute under the direction of veteran filmmaker [[Lee Jang-ho]] and a new programming team.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117943178.html?categoryid=1442&cs=1 |last= Paquet |first= Darcy |title= Fest tries to regain fantastic rep |work= [[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |
date= 2006-05-14 |access-date= 2007-07-12}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[European Fantastic Film Festivals Federation]]

===Other genre film festivals===
* [[Sitges Film Festival]]
* [[Fantasporto]]
* [[Fantasia International Film Festival]]
* [[Fantastic Fest]]
* [[Screamfest Horror Film Festival]]
* [[Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Film]]
* [[Fantafestival]]
* [[Lusca Fantastic Film Fest]]
*[[List of festivals in South Korea]]
*[[List of festivals in Asia]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{cite web|title=Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival - {{!}} 메인|url=http://www.bifan.kr/eng/?sc_type=web|website=www.bifan.kr|language=en}}

{{Festivals in South Korea}}
{{Commons category}}

{{coord missing|South Korea}}

[[Category:Film festivals in South Korea]]
[[Category:Fantasy and horror film festivals]]
[[Category:Film festivals established in 1997]]
[[Category:1997 establishments in South Korea]]
[[Category:Bucheon]]
[[Category:Annual events in South Korea]]
[[Category:Summer events in South Korea]]

Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival - Revision history

CleanupBot at 06:59, 12 August 2021