Actress Park Eun-bin poses on the red carpet during the opening ceremony of the 28th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), held in the outdoor theater of the Busan Cinema Center, Wednesday. Yonhap
BUSAN ― This year’s Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) kicked off its 10-day celebration, Wednesday, in the southeastern port city of Busan.
The festival, running through Oct. 15, commenced with an opening ceremony at the Busan Cinema Center's outdoor theater with award-winning actor Song Kang-ho as the festival’s host, filling a void left by the recent resignation of the festival’s former chairman Lee Yong-kwan.
The ceremony began with a red carpet event featuring big-name stars and auteurs like actors Song Joong-ki, Fan Bingbing, John Cho and Chow Yun-fat and directors Lee Isaac Chung and Lee Chang-dong.
“Extraordinary Attorney Woo” star Park Eun-bin presided over the opening ceremony, making history as the festival’s very first solo emcee, and awarded the Korean Cinema Award to iconic Korean actress Yoon Jeong-hee, who passed away earlier this year, and the Asian Filmmaker of the Year accolade to Chow.
“It’s been exactly 50 years since I started my career. Fifty years seem like a long road I’ve walked, but at the same time it just feels like yesterday,” Chow said, as he expressed his appreciation to Hong Kong's broadcasting and film industries for opening the doors to his acting career.
“I also give my big thanks to the Busan International Film Festival for this meaningful award. Also, I shout out to my Korean fans. Thank you so much for your love and support through all those years," he added.
Hong Kong actor Chow Yun-fat, left, poses with the Busan International Film Festival's host for this year, actor Song Kang-ho, right, during the red carpet event at the opening ceremony in Busan, Wednesday. Yonhap
As the ceremony drew to a close, Park shared her gratitude for her first experience of hosting the event.
“It was so meaningful to be the first solo emcee of BIFF. I am truly grateful for your warm support and applause,” Park said. “What a beautiful night it is to celebrate the opening! I hope that your next 10 days are filled with wonderful memories and experiences."
This year's festival will feature 209 films from 69 countries, including 80 world premieres. It opened with Director Jang Kun-jae’s subtle, female-centric movie, “Because I Hate Korea,” and will wrap with Director Ning Hao’s satire film, “The Movie Emperor.”
Special programming will include a focus on Korean American narratives in Hollywood, titled "Korean American Special Program in Focus: Korean Diasporic Cinema," and "Indonesia Special Program in Focus: Renaissance of Indonesian Cinema," spotlighting cinematic works from the emerging film powerhouse of Indonesia.
The festival will also host a special commemoration event for the late actress Yoon, who was one of the biggest stars of Korean cinema in the 1960s and 1970s. She starred in various award-winning films, such as "Manmubang” (1994) and "Poetry" (2010).
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