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Asia's most significant film education program, Chanel X Biff Asian Film Academy, has appointed this year's dean and faculty, beginning the preparations for its 2023 edition.

The 2023 Chanel X Biff Asian Film Academy's faculty consists of director Suwa Nobuhiro as dean, director Kim Hee-Jung as directing mentor, and cinematographer Artur Żurawski as cinematography mentor. Through this year's faculty appointment, a blueprint for discovering new talents in Asian cinema is underway.

Director Suwa Nobuhiro, who is set to lead the 2023 Chanel X Biff Asian Film Academy, came to the forefront with his official debut, 2/Duo (1997) which was honoured with the Netpac Award at the 1997 Rotterdam International Film Festival and a Special Mention for the Dragons and Tigers Award at the 1997 Vancouver International Film Festival. Following his debut, he received the Fipresci Award at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival with his second film, M/Other (1999), and the Jury's Special Prize and C.I.C.

Photo: ‘Madame Claude’/Netflix Who Was Madame Claude? Just a few days ago, Netflix released the French biographical drama, ‘Madame Claude’, on its streaming service. This distressing, explicit biopic follows the rise and fall of sex work coordinator, Fernande Grudet. Taking place in the late ’60s, Grudet, a.k.a Madame Claude, recruits young girls around France as escorts, servicing an elite list of clientele. I went into this film blindly. I expected an abundance of commentary on sexual liberation for women and empowering elements within the film. I was sorely mistaken. There are a few moments of empowerment sprinkled in the story, but the film primarily displays the sexual, emotional, physical abuse, and exploitation of women in the prostitution business. Related article: The Complete List of 2021 Oscar Nominations – Celebrations, Surprises & Snubs | The Show Must Go On Related article: April Movies Release Schedule: The Most Accurate List of Every Movie...

White Building also among winners at Busan’s Asian Film Market.

Indonesian director and Busan regular Edwin (Postcards From The Zoo) picked up the Asian Project Market (Apm)’s top Busan Award with his Love And Vengeance.

Sponsored by Busan Metropolitan City, the award comes with a $15,000 cash prize.

Based on a bestselling novel, Love And Vengeance follows a man trying to deal with life and love after being traumatized into impotency by violent events he witnessed at the age of 12.

The film is currently in pre-production. Meiske Taurisia, Lorna Tee and Muhammad Zaidy are attached as producers.

Neang Kavich’s Cambodia-France co-production White Building picked up the Cj Entertainment Award of $10,000 - which also gives the Korean company a first-look option, and the Arte International Prize, with €6,000 ($6,650).

White Building, which has Diamond Island director Davy Chou attached as a producer, tells the stories of three teenage boys and their neighbors in an inner-city tenement building in Cambodia...

The Busan film fest’s Asian Project Market (Apm) has highlighted a “strong presence” of women filmmakers in this year’s line-up.

A total of 27 titles from 16 countries have been selected including projects from names including Yim Soon-rye, Tan Chui Mui and Laila Pakalnina.

In its 19th year, the Apm (formerly called the Pusan Promotion Plan or Ppp) said it tried to go back to its original mission of discovering up-and-coming talent with a selection that includes Pavle Vuckovic - who debuted last year in Cannes with Panama - bringing his Serbian thriller Mountain Eyes and Lei Lei with her debut feature animation Ningdu,which has Isabelle Glachant attached as a producer.

Apm stated it saw “an increased interest and more submissions by female directors and producers” this year. Yim is bringing Project Lee Jung-Seob, based on the legendary Korean artist’s life, while Tan has Malaysian coming-of-age drama All About Yuyu and Pakalnina has Latvia-Estonia...

Madame Claude, a French madam whose client list reportedly included JFK, Marlon Brando and Muammar Gaddafi, has died at 92. Claude's CV is a singular one: A former French Resistance fighter who got her start as a businesswoman selling bibles door-to-door, she managed a brothel near Paris's famed Champs Elysees that at one point had a roster of over 500 women. According to a 2014 profile in Vanity Fair, she counted the CIA among her clients; the agency apparently procured women through her brothel "to help keep up morale" during peace talks in Paris. Born Fernande Grudent, Claude (allegedly) once said of her life's work that,...

Madame Claude, a French madam whose client list reportedly included JFK, Marlon Brando and Muammar Gaddafi, has died at 92. Claude's CV is a singular one: A former French Resistance fighter who got her start as a businesswoman selling bibles door-to-door, she managed a brothel near Paris's famed Champs Elysees that at one point had a roster of over 500 women. According to a 2014 profile in Vanity Fair, she counted the CIA among her clients; the agency apparently procured women through her brothel "to help keep up morale" during peace talks in Paris. Born Fernande Grudent, Claude (allegedly) once said of her life's work that,...