The Korean Film Council has launched a special committee aimed at helping the domestic film industry overcome its current crisis and build a sustainable ecosystem.
The council announced Wednesday that it established the Special Committee for the Sustainable Development of Korean Cinema and held its first official meeting Tuesday at the Seoul Film Education Support Center.
The committee is composed of four council members, including council Chairman Han Sang-jun, along with private-sector film industry professionals. It will operate through Dec. 31.
At the inaugural meeting, Han and Kim Jo-kwang-su, co-chair of the Film Festival Policy Forum, were elected as co-chairs through a vote among committee members.
The council said the committee is significant because it institutionalizes regular communication between the council and industry practitioners as a standing consultative body, rather than a one-off forum. The council's goal is to restore the creative, production, investment and distribution ecosystem of Korean cinema through active engagement with filmmakers, and to develop effective policy alternatives.
Efforts to gather voices from the field will continue. The council plans to hold a public hearing titled "Asking About New Governance for Film and Video in the Platform Era" at the Korean Film Archive on Sept. 22, where filmmakers and content creators will engage in in-depth discussions on the future of Korean cinema and paths forward amid a rapidly changing environment.
"The launch of this special committee is a sincere step toward building a sustainable future for Korean cinema together with filmmakers," co-chair Han said. "We will continue to listen to voices from the field without filter through regular meetings and public hearings, and actively reflect them in concrete policy to lead a resurgence of the Korean film industry."
Co-chair Kim said he hoped the launch of the committee would serve as an opportunity for the film industry and the Korean Film Council to become "one team" again, working together to address the challenges facing Korean cinema.
balme@heraldcorp.com
