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.
31st BIFF spotlights animation, international icons
Park Kwang-su, second from left, chairperson of the Busan International Film Festival's organizing committee, speaks during a press conference at the Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry building in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
By Baek Byung-yeul
The 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) will shine a light on animated films while bringing an impressive array of global cinema icons and top Korean stars to the coastal city next month.
Running from October 6 to 15, Asia's premier film festival will present 246 official invitations from 59 countries. The scale makes it the largest event since 2019, reflecting the festival's elevated global standing.
BIFF earned A-list accreditation from the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) earlier this year, solidifying its standing among 17 elite global festivals alongside festivals like the Toronto and Berlin International Film Festivals.
In addition, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences selected Busan as one of six festivals to send top award winners directly to the International Feature Film category.
Park Kwang-su, chairperson of the festival’s organizing committee, emphasized the significance of these milestones.
"We introduced the competition section last year and it is making steady progress in its second year," Park said. "The festival is receiving official recognition from the global film industry."
Jung Han-seok, director of the Busan International Film Festival, speaks during a press conference at the Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry building in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap
Jung Han-seok, director of the festival, also selected the global status of the festival as a key theme for this year's edition.
"The international status of the festival has surged significantly," Jung said. "As you are all aware, the international status of the festival has surged dramatically since its 30th event."
This year's program heavily features animation to reflect contemporary film trends, the director said. The festival will host a special program dedicated to Japanese animation, screening 13 feature and short films that have rarely been shown in theaters. The lineup also includes all-night screening sessions and an industry forum discussing the current state of Asian animation.
The festival will expand viewer access by shifting its opening day from a Wednesday to a Tuesday and increasing daily screenings during the first week.
"We made extreme efforts to improve viewing convenience for the audience this year," Jung said.
The star lineup features a strong mix of international icons and prominent local actors. Academy Award-winning actor Michelle Yeoh will return to Busan after 15 years to receive the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award. American actor Maggie Gyllenhaal will make her first visit to Korea, joined by French cinema legend Isabelle Huppert and Chinese star Fan Bingbing.
Top Korean actors including Sul Kyung-gu, Ju Ji-hoon and Lee Min-ho will grace the event. Actor Kim Min-ha will take center stage as host of the opening ceremony, while her new film directed by Kim Jong-kwan, "The Table: Day and Night," serves as the opening film. Kim will also join Kim Go-eun, Shin Min-a and Ryu Seung-ryong for the Actor's House program, a series of intimate talks where performers share their acting philosophies with the audience.