Estonia signs memorandum of understanding with South Korea

Document aims to boost film industry collaboration.

by Amber Wilkinson

Edith Sepp-Dallas and Kim In Soo signed memorandum of mutual understanding at Tallinn Film Festival industry event.
Edith Sepp-Dallas and Kim In Soo signed memorandum of mutual understanding at Tallinn Film Festival industry event. Photo: Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival

The Estonian Film Institute and Korean Film Council signed a memorandum of mutual understanding between their two countries at the Black Nights Film Festival in Tallinn today in a bid to boost film industry collaboration.

The memorandum marks the first time a northern and eastern European country has signed such an accord with the South Korean film industry and aims to acknowledge two ongoing projects - The Weight director Jeon Kyu-hwan's next film The Painter and Come Rain, Come Shine helmer Lee Yoon-ki's Fools For Love.

The collaboration document was signed by secretary general of Korean Film Council Kim In Soo and director of the Estonian Film Institute Edith Sepp at an Industry@Tallinn event after a panel which discussed Korean productions on the international stage.

Head of Industry@Tallinn Sten Saluveer said: "The signing of the memorandum between Estonia and South Korea is not only signifying the importance of the Black Nights Film Festival and its position as an ongoing and important platform for Asian filmmakers to the region, but also underlines the role of the event as a bridge between the larger film industries of Europe and South-Korea."

The festival has acted as a gateway to the region for South Korean cinema since it made the country the focus of one of its strands in 2007. Estonian audiences have also proved welcome recipients of films from South Korea, giving the audience award to Lee Hey-jun’s Castaway On The Moon in 2009. This year's edition features six South Korean films, including Hong Sang-soo's Nobody's Daughter Hae-Won, Shin Su-won's Pluto and Moebius, the latest film from Kim Ki-duk.

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