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The 10th London East Asia Film Festival (LEAFF) opened on the 23rd (local time) at the Odeon Leicester Square theater in London, the festival committee announced on the 27th.

This year's festival theme is 'Faces of Asia', celebrating the diversity and creativity shown by Asian cinema over the past ten years, while signaling a leap forward toward the next decade.

At the awards ceremony held during the opening, director and actor Ha Jung-woo, invited to the festival with his new film 'The People Upstairs', received the 'LEAFF Honorary Award', a type of achievement award.

Director Ha Jung-woo remarked, "I dreamed of becoming a director when I watched Charlie Chaplin's 'Modern Times' as a child. I am grateful for the opportunity to introduce my film in London and to receive an award as a director."

During the festival, Ha is scheduled to meet audiences in person in London.

Hong Kong master Yonfan, who attended the festival with his animation 'Praying Mantis', received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the opening ceremony. Yonfan also invited Ha Jung-woo to appear in his next film on stage during the ceremony.

Directors Kang Yoon-sung and Heo Ga-young, invited with 'Project Y' and 'First Summer' respectively, also presented their works at the opening ceremony and expressed excitement about meeting audiences.

The opening film was the 4K remastered version of 'Hard Boiled' (1992) by Hong Kong noir master John Woo (Woo Yuson).

During the 11-day festival, which runs until November 2, a total of 45 films from South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and other East Asian countries will be screened.

 [Provided by LEAFF. Redistribution and DB prohibited]

By Jeong Rae-won
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