Movies of War

Film specialist and producer Frédéric Ambroisine will present an ambitious film restoration and international sales initiative during Hong Kong FILMART 2026, focusing on thirteen rare Korean feature films produced between 1979 and 1985 by Whapung Films (화풍흥업), the production company founded by filmmaker Chung Chang-wha (정창화). The project, developed in collaboration with French company Karmax-910, marks the first coordinated international effort to restore, preserve and reintroduce these films to global audiences. Although Chung Chang-wha is widely known internationally for directing Hong Kong classics such as King Boxer and Broken Oath, the films he produced in Korea through Whapung Films remain largely unseen outside South Korea. The Whapung Films Restoration Project aims to bring this overlooked body of work back into international circulation. Restoration Programme Begins in 2026 The restoration programme officially launched in February 2026, with the first titles being restored from original camera negatives preserved at the Korean Film Archive (KOFA), where the elements were deposited by Chung Chang-wha in the early 2000s. The first restorations include: The Swamp of the Firebird (불새의 늪, 1983) – a haunting drama blending folklore, spirituality and social tensions within a remote island community. Shaolin Bridal Room (소림신방, 1982) – a cross-cultural martial arts comedy with erotic elements, inspired by Hong Kong kung-fu cinema and the work of director Lau Kar-leung. Together, these films illustrate the diversity of the Whapung catalogue, which spans melodrama, martial arts, folk horror, social drama and hybrid genre cinema. A Lost Chapter of Korean Cinema The thirteen films produced by Whapung between 1979 and 1985 were created during a highly regulated period of the South Korean film industry marked by censorship, strict production quotas and limited international distribution. As a result, most of these films were never released internationally, despite surviving today in original negative elements preserved at KOFA. The restoration project aims to restore the films in 4K, introduce them at major international film festivals, develop theatrical, cinematheque and home-video releases, and position them as a rediscovered chapter of Korean cinema history. Global Rights and Festival Strategy Frédéric Ambroisine, who initiated the project and brought it to Karmax-910, has been officially mandated to coordinate restoration strategy, archival access, international communication and worldwide sales for the Whapung catalogue. Originally limited to Western territories, the agreement has recently been expanded to worldwide rights, enabling a global circulation strategy including festivals, retrospective screenings and curated home-video releases. Ambroisine previously collaborated closely with Chung Chang-wha, producing extensive documentary interviews with the filmmaker released internationally on Blu-ray editions, including Arrow Video’s Shawscope Vol. 1. Additional Sales Title: The Black Magic with Buddha During FILMART, Ambroisine is also presenting the Hong Kong cult horror film The Black Magic with Buddha (1980), whose restoration he initiated two years ago. The film’s French home-video rights were acquired in 2025 by Le Chat qui Fume, while North American rights were acquired by Mondo Macabro. The restored film is scheduled for release in two different cuts in 2026, highlighting the film’s complex production history. Additional territories are currently available Tags:Chung Chang-whaFrédéric AmbroisineHong Kong FILMARTKorean Film ArchiveShaolin Bridal RoomThe Black Magic with BuddhaThe Swamp of the FirebirdWhapung Films