The 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) begins its ten-day journey with the Opening Ceremony today. Hosted by actor Kim Minha, the ceremony will present the Camellia Award to director, screenwriter, and producer Ann Hui; the Korean Cinema Award to former BIFF Chairperson Kim Dong-ho; and The Asian Filmmaker of the Year award to actor Michelle Yeoh. This year’s opening film is The Table: Day and Night, directed by Kim Jong-kwan.
The 31st BIFF presents a total of 316 films from 59 countries, including 69 Community BIFF titles. The wide range of films featuring the present and future of Asian and world cinema will be screened across 31 screens in eight theaters.
The festival opens one day earlier than in previous years, on Tuesday, giving audiences greater flexibility in planning their visits and screenings. During the festival’s busiest period from Thursday through Sunday, daily screenings will expand from the usual four slots to five. With its first-ever Tuesday opening and expanded screening schedule, BIFF aims to offer audiences greater flexibility and a wider range of films to enjoy.
Competition, launched in 2025, enters its second year with an even stronger lineup building on the achievements of its inaugural edition. This year, the proportion of world premieres has increased, with 13 distinctive and accomplished Asian films competing. A seven-member Competition Jury led by director Zhang Yimou will select the winners of the Busan Awards across five categories. The winner of the Busan Award for Best Film will be eligible for submission to the Academy Award for International Feature Film.
Some of world cinema’s most legendary figures are coming to Busan. Actor and director Maggie Gyllenhaal, who served as President of the Competition Jury at this year’s Venice International Film Festival, will make her first visit to Korea. Joining her in Busan are Academy Award-winning director Alfonso Cuarón, as well as iconic French actors Isabelle Huppert and Charlotte Gainsbourg. Celebrated Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi, Filipino master Lav Diaz and the legendary Japanese animation director Rintaro will visit Busan, alongside leading Korean auteurs including Lee Chang-dong, Na Hong-jin, and Kim Jeewoon.
Special Programs offer unique experiences for festivalgoers with curated selections. ‘Those Beautiful Years, Ahn Sung-ki’ commemorates the late Ahn Sung-ki, a towering figure in Korean film history, through six of his key films. ‘Japanese Animation Special: Masterpieces of Madness, Exhilarating Prospects 12+1’ spotlights both the past and future of Japanese animation, and ‘Everything Everywhere All for Michelle’ is dedicated to celebrating the cinematic universe of Michelle Yeoh.
BIFF also provides a platform to discuss the present and future of cinema. Forum BIFF runs for four days, from October 8 (Thu) to October 11 (Sun), at the Busan Community Media Center and the Busan Film & Audiovisual Industry Center. Under the theme of “Exploring the Possibilities of Contemporary Cinema,” this year’s Forum BIFF considers new directions for cinema amid a rapidly changing landscape.
Interactive, audience-driven programs will seamlessly connect the festival with the city’s daily life. Community BIFF and BIFF Everywhere will engage audiences across Busan, starting from Nampo-dong, where BIFF first began, and expanding their reach to Yangsan and Seoul.
Asia’s premier comprehensive content marketplace, ACFM, takes place at Exhibition Center 2, BEXCO, from October 10 (Sat) to October 13 (Tue). It will present a total of 64 programs across seven key initiatives: The A, Asia Project Market (APM), Busan Story Market (BSM), InnoAsia, Producer Hub, Doc Square, and Platform BUSAN. This year’s ACFM also introduces its first Country of Honor program, with Thailand as the inaugural country, highlighting new trends and possibilities in the Asian content industry.
The 31st BIFF’s Opening Ceremony will be live-streamed exclusively via NAVER CHZZK on October 6 (Tue) at 6 PM, allowing audiences everywhere to join the opening moment online. Opening today, the 31st BIFF will run for ten days through October 15 (Thu). |
