A promotional photo for "Sampaguita, National Flower"

Two Filipino films will compete and six more will be screened at the 15th Pusan International Film Festival in Korea this October.

Cinemalaya 2010 award-winning films “Sampaguita, National Flower” (Francis Xavier Pasion) and “Halaw” (international name “Ways of the Sea,” Sheron Dayoc) are nominated in the film fest’s “New Currents” category, along with 11 more films from other Asian countries such as Korea, Thailand, China, India, Singapore, Vietnam and Iraq.

The “New Currents” category, according to PIFF’s website, will showcase “the first or the second feature films by the future leading directors of Asian cinema.”

“Sampaguita” earned Pasion the Special Jury Prize in the New Breed category, while “Halaw” was named “Best Film” and Dayoc, “Best Director” also in the same category at the Cinemalaya.

Meanwhile, Adolf Alix, Jr.’s “Chassis” will have its world premiere at the film fest. It will be showcased along with three other Filipino films namely “Magkakapatid” (international title “Blood Ties”), “Donor” and “Emir” in “A Window on Asian Cinema”---“a showcase of brand new and/or representative films by the talented Asian filmmakers with their diverse point of views and style.” A total of 55 films will be featured in this showcase.

"Chassis" is said to also participate at the 29th Vancouver Film Festival in Canada.

Both “Magkakapatid” (Kim Homer Garcia”) and “Donor” (Mark Meily) won at the Cinemalaya film fest last July. “Emir,” a musical film directed by Chito Roño, was slated for mainstream release.

Films about the Philippines and its people, directed by foreign filmmakers, will also be shown in the said showcase. These are Malaysian director Ho Wi Ding’s “Pinoy Sunday” (starring Epy Quizon and Bayani Agbayani as OFWs in Taiwan) and French filmmaker and critic Hubert Niogret’s “Return to Manila: Filipino Cinema” (a spotlight on modern-day Filipino filmmakers).

Another Cinemalaya winning entry, “P” (Rommel Tolentino), will be featured in the Wide Angle – Short Film Showcase 2 category. This section is said to be “dedicated in showing the outstanding short films, animation, documentaries, and experimental films presenting different and distinct vision via broader cinematic viewpoints.”

Mainstream comedy flick “Here Comes The Bride” (Chris Martinez) will be shown in the Open Cinema.

This year’s PIFF will showcase a total of 308 movies from 67 countries, 103 of which will make world premieres. It will be held from Oct. 7 to 15 in Busan, South Korea.