Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
Busan International Film Festival receives 'A-list' status
Jung Han-seok, director of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), speaks during a press conference at Busan Cinema Center, Sept. 26, 2025. Newsis
By Baek Byung-yeul
The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) officially gained A-list festival accreditation from a regulatory body of global film festivals, cementing its status as a leader in global cinema alongside prestigious events like Cannes, Berlin and Venice.
On Monday, the organizers of the nation’s largest film festival said BIFF was named an A-list film festival in the newly reorganized accreditation system of the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF).
BIFF Director Jung Han-seok expressed his gratitude regarding the selection.
“This is a joyful result that shows the rapidly growing global influence of the Busan International Film Festival,” Jung said.
“It is especially meaningful to be officially recognized by a highly credible organization that evaluates major film festivals around the world. We will continue to strive to further elevate our global status as an A-list film festival.”
Established in 1933, the FIAPF is a prominent organization that validates the credibility of international film festivals worldwide.
The organization recently overhauled its traditional classification system, which previously divided festivals into categories such as competitive and noncompetitive. Under the new framework, the federation evaluates festivals based on their overall capacity and actual international influence rather than genre or format.
The A-list designation is the result of a two-year evaluation process based on quantitative and qualitative data across four key areas — selection of works, industry connections and activities, press and promotion, and screenings and audiences.
“The new accreditation system takes a future-oriented and impact-driven approach,” Florence Girot, senior director of FIAPF, said through the statement released by BIFF. “It aims to strengthen the entire film festival ecosystem and reaffirm the role of festivals as key partners in the film industry.”
BIFF has maintained a strong relationship with the FIAPF since it was first accredited in 1997, just one year after its inaugural edition in 1996. Since 2018, the festival has been an active member of the FIAPF Festivals Committee. Its recent inclusion on the A-list reflects the rapid growth of the festival’s international influence in recent years.
Celebrating its 30th anniversary last year, the festival screened 328 films across 31 screens in seven theaters, drawing a total of 175,889 attendees. Notably, the festival marked its milestone anniversary by introducing an official competition section for the first time, presenting the Busan Awards in categories including Best Film and Best Director.
This year’s BIFF is scheduled to take place from Oct. 6 to 15 at Busan Cinema Center and surrounding venues. Submissions for this year’s festival are open until June 2 for short films and July 8 for feature films.