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It seems that summer, with its relentless heat, is finally drawing to a close.
Today, Busan was under a strong wind advisory.
And as the night air on my way home from work gradually begins to feel a little cooler,
I can really feel that the festival is just around the corner.
Around this time every year, I find myself preparing a long piece to introduce the films in my selection. But this year, I thought I’d try something a little different: introducing more films through shorter, kinder summaries.
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※ Click on each still and discover more!
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©Underground Talkies Nepal, Les Valseurs, and DGS
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Hilol - Botir ABDURAKHMANOV
A former national Taekwondo athlete Hilol.
A powerful physique with an unsettled heart.
A compelling debut feature.
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Elephants in the Fog - Abinash Bikram SHAH
Face the world through the power of sisterhood
of a transgender community!
A fierce, explosive narrative full of catharsis!
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The Scar-Faced Cat: Way of Asura - WANG I-Fan
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Taiwan under Japanese colonial rule.
A relentless tale of revenge packed with stylish action!
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Birds on Ice - Sahil H. SHAH
Against the breathtaking backdrop of the Himalayas.
A charming coming-of-age story of a young girl who dreams of becoming an ice hockey player.
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Will You Still Be My Friend - LU Po-Shun
Amid countless quarrels,
can the secret feelings between two boys
remain hidden behind the name of friendship?
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©Flying River Films
Not a Hero - Rima DAS
A city boy’s bumpy journey to growing up.
The latest feature from Rima Das, director of Village Rockstars.
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Khoriya - Vishwendra SINGH
Two brothers get into steroids.
A vivid portrait of criminals you can’t
quite bring yourself to hate.
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The Cord - Darkhan TULEGENOV
“I’ll be the one to clear my son’s name!”
Aigerim Mustafa delivers a chilling
performance as the mother.
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©2026 Edko Films Limited and Wanda Pictures Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
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Dead End - Isabella LAM Lok-hin
A suspense-filled mystery crime thriller!
Starring Yeung Lokman,
leader of Hong Kong pop group MIRROR.
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Cold War 1994 - Longman LEUNG
A prequel to the Cold War series.
Unfolds as a spectacular IMAX experience!
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©Hangzhou Shanshui Films Co., Ltd.
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Dhara - Anuruddha JAYASINGHA
A rebel terrorist and a monk spend several days
living together.
Poetic, Zen-like beauty shaped by meticulous cinematography.
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The First Taste of Loneliness - GU You
A landscape trilogy from director GU You,
featuring Zhou Xun’s delicate, graceful performance
and fluid camerawork.
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Birds in the Dark - Shashank WALIA
Brought to life through richly drawn characters
and beautiful, poetic imagery.
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There Will Be Snow - CHEN Jianying (Story)
A dystopian world in 2035.
Snow, ice, reindeer and a railway bridge.
Beautiful enough to feel like a dream—or a fantasy.
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Zogsool - SAKHYA Byamba
A subtle black comedy with a hint of romance.
When Mongolia’s endless blue sky and billowing clouds fill half the screen,
the pettiness of our small human dramas suddenly feels wonderfully insignificant.
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Selvi - Sailesh RATHNAKUMAR
The film sharply probes the boundaries between responsibility and guilt, love and survival.
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About an Intimate Matter
- Sandeep Kumar PAUL
A tightly constructed narrative with
remarkable psychological insight.
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Big Little Things - Michelle ZHOU
Introducing the person you love to your family.
A finely observed film that captures the tension
hidden in the details of everyday life.
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Happily Ever After - Feng-I Fiona ROAN
Sisters can be the closest people in the world
—and sometimes the furthest apart.
A lovely story of conflict and reconciliation.
The feature debut of SHUHUA of K-pop group i-dle.
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A Girl Unknown - ZOU Jing
A warm, compassionate gaze embraces her journey, brought to life through precise and assured direction.
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Welcome to Dolly's House
- Seven YCH, Rady FU, Tree MUTA
The uncanny world of rotoscoped animation.
A psychological horror fantasy with
a touch of gothic horror.
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To Be Ordinary - LEE Yun Chan
A memorable family drama, with a delicate balance between observation and compassion.
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A mysterious narrative unfolding
through poetic imagery.
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The Soul Whisperer - Leo THADDEUS
A gentle, compassionate film that
embraces wounds and offers solace.
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In Winter - Yerlan NURMUKHAMBETOV, Nursultan NUSKABEKOV
Kazakh mid-career filmmaker Yerlan Nurmukhambetov returns with a smart, witty comedy.
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Lovers in the Blue Night - Anuparna ROY
A husband and a wife each have secrets of their own.
A tender, compassionate letter to those living as urban migrants, sexual minorities and Muslims.
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And finally, there is “Everything Everywhere All for Michelle”.
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Reign of Assassins
- SU Chao-Pin, John WOO
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Everything Everywhere All at Once
- Daniel KWAN, Daniel SCHEINERT
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This year’s recipient of the Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award and the star of our Special Program in Focus, Michelle Yeoh is coming to Busan with four films of her own choosing. In Reign of Assassins, she showcases her elegant sword action scenes with actor Jung Woo-sung. Everything Everywhere All at Once, is one of her signature films—and one that I hope no one will miss seeing on the big screen. In Sandiwara, a short film directed by Sean Baker, she takes on five different roles, each with its own unique charm. And It’s My Time shows just how thrilling competitive cubing can be as a sport. Across these four films, you can discover the many faces and charms of Michelle Yeoh, spanning different universe, genres, and times.
As I always say, many of the films from the Chinese-speaking regions, South Asia and Central Asia, that I look after are difficult to see again in Korea outside of the Busan International Film Festival. I hope you will pay special attention to these unique films that you can experience at the festival! Of course, there is always something wonderful about watching a masterpiece that everyone knows. But I am confident that this year, you will discover even more hidden gems—films that might become your own special discoveries.
As autumn deepens, I look forward to seeing you all in Busan. Thank you.
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The 31st Busan International Film Festival Ticket Reservation
September 11 (Fri), 17:00 KST
Screening Schedule Announcement
September 17 (Thu), 14:00 KST
Opening/Closing Ceremony / Open Cinema (Outdoor Screenings) /
Midnight Passion (Late-Night Screenings) / Actors’ House / Community BIFF
September 21 (Mon), 14:00 KST
General Screenings / Master Class / Cine Class
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