Pusan competitions have A Moment in June, The Convert

A Moment in June, a gorgeous-looking romantic drama by O Nathapon, is among the 14-title slate of films in competition for the New Currents Award at the 13th Pusan International Film Festival.

And, in a major change for the Pusan fest, its Wide Angle competition is being expanded this year from just South Korean shorts and documentaries to include films from all over Asia. The Convert, the documentary by Panu Aree, Kaweenipon Ketprasit and Kong Rithdee that premiered last week at the 12th Thai Short Film & Video Festival, is part of that.

These are in addition to special programs at Pusan that will include the horror anthology 4bia, Asian superheroes including Mercury Man, the animated features Nak and The Life of Buddha, and music videos by Wisit Sasanatieng and Pen-ek Ratanaruang. Also, Queens of Langkasuka by Nonzee Nimibutr will screen in the Open Cinema program.

The Pusan International Film Festival opens on October 2 with The Gift to Stalin by Kazakhstan's Rustem Abdrashev. The closing film on October 10 will be I Am Happy by Yoon Jong-cha.

Here's the list of films in the New Currents competition, which is aimed at young, up-and-coming Asian directors:

• Blind Pig Who Wants to Fly by Edwin (Indonesia)
• Er Dong by Yang Jin (China)
• Jalainur by Zhao Ye (China)
• Routine Holiday by Li Hongqi (China)
• Land of Scarecrows by Roh Geong-Tae (South Korea)
• Member of Funeral by Baek Seung-Bin (South Korea)
• The Pot by Kim Tae-Gon (South Korea)
• Empty Chair by Saman Estereki (Iran)
• A Light in the Fog by Panahbarkhoda Rezaee (Iran)
• Nakid of Defenses by Ichii Masahide (Japan)
• Turmoil by Sabit Kurmanbekov (Kazakhstan)
• Ocean of an Old Man by Rajesh Shera (India)
• One Hundred by Chris Martinez (Philippines)
• A Moment in June by O Nathapon (Thailand)

With a color palette, lighting, costuming and time period that evokes Wong Kar-wai's In the Mood for Love, A Moment in June stars 13 Beloved leading man Noi Sukosol. Here is the synopsis from the Pusan festival:

Set in Thailand in 1972 and 1999, the film depicts the lives of six people try to reignite past relationships or make decisions on what to do in their current relationships. Will they be presented with the second chance they hope for?

A Moment in June is the first project from Produire au Sud Bangkok, a script fund of the World Film Festival of Bangkok. A Moment in June is set to make its Thailand premiere at this year's World Film Festival of Bangkok, which runs from October 24 to November 1.

(Via Agence France-Presse/Google News; photo via Deknang/Popcornmag)