Busan Int'l Film Festival transitions to competitive format for 30th edition
From left, Jung Han-seok, festival director of the Busan International Film Festival, Park Kwang-su, chairperson of the festival’s organizing committee, and Karen Park, program director of the festival, attend the press conference at Busan Cinema Center in Busan, Tuesday. Yonhap
The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) will undergo a significant transformation this year for its 30th anniversary, becoming a competitive film festival as part of its efforts to expand its influence in the Asian film industry.
"After concluding the 29th edition last year, we mentioned that the 30th festival would move from a non-competitive to a competitive format,” Park Kwang-su, chairperson of the organizing committee, said during a press conference held both in Busan and online Tuesday.
Highlighting the significance of the anniversary, the chairperson noted, "The 30th festival will be a meaningful occasion to reflect on the journey of growth alongside Asian cinema over the past 30 years and to present a vision for the next 30 years."
He further elaborated on the decision to introduce a competitive section.
“We are aiming to discover and introduce the excellence and diversity of Asian cinema more actively and contribute to further elevating the status of Asian films in the global film industry,” he said. “The competitive section is expected to feature around 14 films, which will be screened at major venues, with awards presented at the closing ceremony. The selection of jury members is currently underway.”
Under the new format, the festival's competitive section will recognize the best Asian films of the year, along with a new Busan Award. The trophies for the awards will be designed by acclaimed Thai filmmaker and artist Apichatpong Weerasethakul.
The chairperson also addressed the leadership transition as the committee appointed a new festival director, Jung Han-seok, after four recruitment rounds.
Jung worked as a journalist and critic at film magazine Cine21 and took the position of Korean Cinema Programmer at BIFF in 2019. He has also served as a jury for the Buil Film Awards, the Jeonju International Film Festival and the Seoul Independent Film Festival and as an advisor to the Florence Korea Film Fest and the Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong.
The newly appointed festival director, who started his role on March 21, outlined plans to address the challenges facing the Korean cinema industry.
“We plan to organize various programs and forums to diagnose the crisis facing Korean films and collectively seek practical solutions," Jung said, emphasizing a commitment to creating a more audience-friendly festival by inviting highly anticipated works and guests.
The festival also sees a change in its programming team, with Karen Park stepping into the role of program director following the departure of former program director Nam Dong-chul due to personal reasons.
“Taking on this significant responsibility during a challenging time for the film industry and the festival is not easy. I ask for your continued warm support and valuable advice for the 30th BIFF,” Park said.
Changes will also extend to the opening and closing ceremonies. Notably, the winner of the competitive section's grand prize will serve as the closing film, replacing the tradition of a separately selected closing film.
Filmmaker Min Kyu-dong, best known for his movies “Memento Mori” (1999), “All About My Wife” (2012) and “The Old Woman With The Knife” (2025), will oversee the production of both ceremonies, aiming for a more impactful presentation.
The 30th edition of BIFF is scheduled to take place in the southeastern port city from Sept. 17 to 26.