‘The Last Stop in Yuma County’ Takes Top Prize at Bucheon Fantasy Film Festival

Artificial Intelligence Takes Spotlight at Bucheon Fantasy Film Festival With Conference, Dedicated AI Competition

American-made films took two top prizes at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan) in South Korea, ahead of a slew of Korean and Taiwanese titles that took the lesser prizes.

“The Last Stop in Yuma County,” a crime thriller directed by Francis Galluppi and set around a restaurant in Arizona, won the KRW20 million ($14,500) Bucheon Choice feature award. The jury called it a, “profound exploration of human nature [with] characters traversing the boundary between righteousness and malevolence.”

JT Mollner was named best director in the same section for his “Strange Darling,” a retro-feel, horror-romance with what the jury called, “an exhilarating and engaging narrative, challenging genre and character stereotypes and subverting implicit bias.”

The awards were presented Friday evening at a closing ceremony at the Bucheon City Hall. The ceremony was followed by a screening of Soi Cheang’s smash hit Hong Kong action film “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In.”

Cheang, Korean actors Jung Yi-seo and Jang Sung-bum, director Chung Jiyoung and Bucheon city mayor Cho Yong-eek were among the other guests.

The main competition jury was headed by multi-award-winning Korean actor Park Joong-hoon, with other members including academic Kim Seonah, Japanese director Sabu and U.S. producer Jason Taylor (“X-Men: First Class,” “2067”).

Bucheon Choice Awards: Features

Best of Bucheon (KRW20 million)
“The Last Stop in Yuma County” dir. Francis Galluppi (U.S.)

Best Director Choice (KRW5 million)
“Strange Darling” dir. JT Mollner (U.S.)

Jury’s Choice (KRW5 million)
“Suffocating Love” dir. Liao Ming Yi (Taiwan)

Audience Award
“The Last Stop in Yuma County” dir. Francis Galluppi (U.S.)

Korean Fantastic: Features

Best Korean Fantastic Film (KRW20 million)
“Esper’s Light,” dir. Jung Jae-hoon (South Korea)

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Korean Fantastic Best Director (KRW5 million)
“Idiot Girls and School Ghost: School Anniversary,” dir. Kim Min-ha (South Korea)

Korean Fantastic Actors
Kim Daegun in “The Tenants” (South Korea)
Park Ju-hyun in “You Will Die in 6 Hours” (South Korea)

Special Mention
“Pig That Survived Foot-and-Mouth Disease,” dir. Hur Bum-wook (South Korea)

Korean Fantastic Audience Award
“You Will Die in 6 Hours,” dir. Lee Yun-seok (South Korea)

Nonghyup Award – Distribution Award (KRW10 million)
“Base Station,” dirs. Park Syeyoung, Yeon Yeji (South Korea)

Watcha’s Pick for Korean Fantastic (KRW3 million)
“Idiot Girls and School Ghost: School Anniversary,” by Kim Min-ha (South Korea)

Méliès International Festivals Federation (MIFF) Award for Best Asian Film
“Steppenwolf,” dir.  Adilkhan Yerzhanov (Kazakhstan)

NETPAC Award
“Who’ll Stop the Rain,” dir.  Su I-hsuan (Taiwan)

Odd Family Award
“Pigsy,” dir. Chiu Li Wei (Taiwan)

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