Who is leading the Busan International Film Festival Competition jury in 2026?

Zhang Yimou is serving as jury president for BIFF’s main Competition section. The seven-member panel also includes Bi Gan, Kei Ishikawa, Tran Thi Bich Ngoc, July Jung, Choi Hee-seo and Samal Yeslyamova.

When will the 31st Busan International Film Festival be held?

The 31st edition of BIFF will run in Busan from Oct. 6-15. It is described as Asia’s biggest film festival.

BIFF names Chinese auteur Zhang Yimou as Competition jury chief

Q: How many films are competing for the Busan Award at BIFF?

The jury will choose the Busan Award winners from 13 films shortlisted for the Competition section. The competition section was introduced last year.

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Summary

Renowned Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou has been named jury president for the main Competition section of the upcoming Busan International Film Festival. He will lead a seven-member jury that will select the Busan Award winners from 13 shortlisted films. The 31st BIFF will run in Busan from Oct. 6-15.

Key Facts

The Competition section was first introduced last year.
The seven-member jury includes Bi Gan, Kei Ishikawa, Tran Thi Bich Ngoc, July Jung, Choi Hee-seo and Samal Yeslyamova.
BIFF said the Competition jury will choose the Busan Award winners from 13 shortlisted films.
Zhang Yimou won the Golden Bear for Red Sorghum and Golden Lion prizes for The Story of Qiu Ju and Not One Less, and he also received the Grand Jury Prize for To Live.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 17, 2026 3:00 pm KST

Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou / Courtesy of Busan International Film Festival

Renowned Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou has been tapped as jury president for the main Competition section of the upcoming Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), organizers said Thursday.

Zhang will lead a seven-member jury that also includes Chinese filmmaker Bi Gan, Japanese director Kei Ishikawa, Vietnamese producer Tran Thi Bich Ngoc and Korean director July Jung, according to BIFF.

Also serving on the jury are Korean actor Choi Hee-seo and Kazakhstani actor Samal Yeslyamova, it added.

The jury will choose the winners for the Busan Award among 13 films shortlisted for the Competition section that was first introduced last year.

Zhang has won top prizes at prestigious film festivals, including the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival for his directorial debut "Red Sorghum" (1987) and the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival for "The Story of Qiu Ju" (1992) and "Not One Less" (1999).

He also received the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival for "To Live" (1994).

The 31st edition of BIFF, Asia's biggest film fest, will run in the southeastern port city of Busan from Oct. 6-15.

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