BIFF 2025 Busan film fest kicks off with new official competition section for 30th year
The opening ceremony for the 30th Busan International Film Festival is held at Busan Cinema Center in Busan, Wednesday. Newsis
BUSAN — The 30th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) officially began its 10-day run Wednesday, marking the milestone anniversary with a grand opening ceremony and a new era of global competition.
This year's iteration boasts a record number of films and guests, with a total of 241 official selections from 64 countries, an increase of 17 from last year. Including affiliated programs like Community BIFF, a total of 328 films will be shown during the festival. The increase reflects the festival’s growing ambition and reach, as it commemorates three decades of championing Asian cinema and international film culture.
For the first time in its 30-year history, BIFF is introducing an official competition section. The inaugural Busan Awards will honor top films from across Asia in five categories: Best Film, Best Director, Special Jury Award, Best Actor and Artistic Contribution. The winners will be announced at the closing ceremony.
From right, director Park Chan-wook and actors Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Yeom Hye-ran, Lee Sung-min and Lee Byung-hun pose during the opening ceremony of the 30th Busan International Film Festival at Busan Cinema Center in Busan, Wednesday. Yonhap
Held at Busan Cinema Center's Outdoor Theater, the festival's opening ceremony was a star-studded affair, hosted by actor Lee Byung-hun. At the opening ceremony, director Jafar Panahi, who won the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival for his film "It Was Just an Accident," received the Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award.
Following the ceremony, director Park Chan-wook's latest film “No Other Choice” is screened as the opening film. The movie, which recently premiered at film festivals in Venice and Toronto, is a highly anticipated work based on Donald E. Westlake's novel “The Axe.” It stars Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min and Yeom Hye-ran.
The 30th edition of BIFF is drawing an unprecedented number of cinematic legends to the southern port city. Acclaimed Asian filmmakers Jia Zhangke, Johnnie To and Tsai Ming-liang will be in attendance, along with masters of Korean cinema like Lee Chang-dong and Bong Joon-ho. The festival will also welcome Hollywood heavyweights like Sean Baker, Michael Mann and Guillermo del Toro.
A large crowd of spectators fills the outdoor theater at Busan Cinema Center in Busan, Wednesday, for the opening ceremony of the 30th Busan International Film Festival. Yonhap
BIFF continues to push boundaries with the Icons section, which features new works by acclaimed directors. This year, the section has expanded to 33 films, the largest selection in the festival’s history.
The Vision section, which nurtures emerging talent, also broadened its scope to include 12 films from Korea and 11 from other Asian countries, underscoring BIFF's commitment to discovering the next generation of filmmakers.
In an effort to deepen audience engagement, the Community BIFF and BIFF Everywhere initiatives will bring the festival to more neighborhoods across the city, including Nampo-dong, an important downtown commercial district. Master classes and talks with directors and actors are also scheduled throughout the festival.
People line up to purchase tickets at Busan Cinema Center in Busan, Wednesday, the opening day of the 30th Busan International Film Festival. Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul
Riding on the global popularity of Korean culture, a special sing-along screening of the popular Netflix animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” will be held for the first time in Korea, with director Maggie Kang attending to interact with fans.
The Asia Contents & Film Market will also take place on the sidelines of BIFF at BEXCO from Saturday to Tuesday, connecting industry professionals and fostering new collaborations.
The festival will conclude with a closing ceremony on Sept. 26, announcing the winners of the newly established Busan Award.