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2d ago

Busan Film Festival Opens 30th Edition With Park Chan-wook as Competition Era Begins

The anniversary festival launches a 14-title Busan Awards lineup under Na Hong-jin’s jury to raise the event’s global profile.

The opening ceremony of the 30th Busan International Film Festival takes place at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae, Busan, on Sept. 17, 2025. (Yonhap)
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This undated file photo shows the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae, Busan, southeastern South Korea. (Yonhap)
People walk past a signboard for the Busan International Film Festival near the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae, Busan, southeastern South Korea, on Sept. 15, 2025. (Yonhap)

Overview

  • The 10-day event runs through Sept. 26 with 241 official selections and 328 total when Community BIFF titles are included.
  • The new competition features 14 Asian films across five prizes, with the Best Film slated to close the festival and 10 world premieres among the entries.
  • Jury members introduced include Tony Leung Ka-fai, Nandita Das, Marzieh Meshkini, Kogonada, Yulia Evina Bhara and Han Hyo-joo, with jurors signaling a focus on progressive, humane works; the lineup includes six films by women and five debuts.
  • Opening night featured Lee Byung-hun as host and the premiere of Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice, with honors to Jafar Panahi (Asian Filmmaker of the Year), Sylvia Chang (Camellia Award) and Jung Ji-young (Korean Cinema Award).
  • India marked a stepped-up presence with a first-ever ministerial delegation led by Dr. L. Murugan, a Bharat Pavilion at BIFF and ACFM, and multiple Indian films and projects selected.