Busan International Film Festival kicks off 30th edition with opening ceremony

연합뉴스 / 2025-09-17 09:24:30

▲ Citizens walk past a poster set up in front of the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae, Busan, on Sept. 15, 2025, two days ahead of the opening of the 30th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Sept. 17 (Yonhap) -- The annual Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) opened its 30th edition Wednesday evening, launching a 10-day run of screenings and events.

The festival began at 7 p.m. with an opening ceremony at the outdoor theater of the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae, hosted solely by actor Lee Byung-hun.

The opening film is “No Other Choice,” directed by Park Chan-wook, which will make its Asian premiere following screenings at the Venice International Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival.

A total of 241 official selections will be screened this year, up 17 from last year. Including titles in side programs, the overall lineup comes to 328 films.

This year’s BIFF also introduces a new competition section, presenting the “Busan Awards” in five categories: best film, best director, jury prize, best actor and best artistic contribution. Fourteen Asian works have been invited, including the Japanese film “Two Seasons, Two Strangers” starring Shim Eun-kyung, director Lim Sun-ae’s “Seven O′Clock Breakfast Club for the Brokenhearted” featuring Suzy, Lee Jin-uk and Yoo Ji-tae, and director Zhang Lu’s new film “Gloaming in Luomu.” Taiwanese actress Shu Qi’s directorial debut “Girl” and Sri Lankan director Vimukthi Jayasundara’s “Spy Star” are also in the lineup.

To mark its 30th anniversary, the festival has expanded its special programs. Italian master Marco Bellocchio will visit an Asian film festival for the first time, while a retrospective will spotlight the works of acclaimed French actress Juliette Binoche.

The Icons section, which presents the latest works of world-renowned filmmakers, has expanded from 17 films last year to a record 33 this year. The Vision section, dedicated to discovering Asian newcomers and fostering independent cinema, has also broadened its scope across Asia, featuring 12 Korean and 11 Asian titles.

In a first for Korea, a sing-along screening of “KPop Demon Hunters,” the most-watched Netflix film-and-series title to date, will take place at Sohyang Theater Shinhancard Hall at Dongseo University.

▲ Workers install facilities around the outdoor theater of the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae, Busan, on Sept. 15, 2025, as preparations are underway for the 30th Busan International Film Festival, set to open in two days. (Yonhap)

A host of prominent filmmakers and actors will attend the festival, including directors Jia Zhangke, Johnnie To, Tsai Ming-liang, Marziyeh Meshkini, Lee Chang-dong, Park Chan-wook, Sean Baker, Michael Mann and Guillermo del Toro. Notable actors such as Japan’s Ken Watanabe, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Junichi Okada and Shun Oguri; Hong Kong’s Tony Leung; Taiwan’s Lee Kang-sheng, Shu Qi, Guey Lun-mei and Greg Hsu are also scheduled to appear.

The festival will also expand programs that bring filmmakers and audiences together, such as master classes, Community BIFF and Village BIFF. Meanwhile, the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) will take place at BEXCO in Busan during the festival.

BIFF will wrap up on Sept. 26 with a closing ceremony at the outdoor theater of the Busan Cinema Center. Unlike previous years, the closing ceremony will feature major filmmakers as award presenters, and winning titles will be announced on site.