Bucheon, South Korea — September 22, 2026 — The Bucheon Research Institute announced that it will host the inaugural "Bucheon Future Policy Forum 2026" on September 29 at 2:00 PM in the small concert hall of the Bucheon Art Center to commemorate its opening.

Under the theme "How Should Film Festival Support Policies Change Since the Lumière Declaration?", the forum has been organized to examine the national, industrial, and regional roles of international film festivals, as well as to discuss sustainable development and directions for institutional improvement in national support systems.

The keynote presentation will be delivered by Lee Sun-pil, a film journalist and international film festival evaluation committee member at the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). Lee is scheduled to present the current status and improvement directions for domestic film festival support policies from the perspective that international film festivals serve as major foundations connecting the discovery, creation, distribution, and overseas expansion of Korean cinema.

Following the keynote, Kim Sun-ah, a professor in the Department of Performing Arts and Film at Dankook University, will chair a comprehensive panel discussion. The discussion panel will feature Shin Chul, Festival Director of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN); Min Sung-wook, Festival Director of the Jeonju International Film Festival; Noh Chul-hwan, Professor at Inha University; Tae Eun-jung, Head of the Business Division at the Korean Film Council; Lee Yong-kwan, Director of the Hallyu Economy Research Center at the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute; and Kim Sang-tae, Research Fellow at the Bucheon Research Institute.

Kim Jong-seok, President of the Bucheon Research Institute, stated, "We hope this forum serves as an opportunity to explore sustainable support plans that match the roles and values of international film festivals, leading to concrete and actionable policy alternatives."

Following this inaugural event, the Bucheon Research Institute plans to continuously operate the "Bucheon Future Policy Forum" to discuss major regional issues and future policy tasks together with experts and citizens.

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