 |
| ▲ A still from "No Other Choice," provided by the Busan International Film Festival on Aug. 4, 2025 (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
 |
| ▲ Officials of the Busan International Film Festival attend a press conference in the southeastern city of Busan on Aug. 26, 2025. (Yonhap) |
BIFF-program
Marking 30th anniv., BIFF introduces competition, 'Carte Blanche' program
By Woo Jae-yeon
SEOUL, Aug. 26 (Yonhap) -- The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) is launching its first-ever competition section, an initiative aimed at enhancing the festival's global standing and competitiveness, the organizing committee said Tuesday.
The year's newly established competition will feature 14 films celebrating Asian cinema. Awards will be presented across five categories: the Grand Prize, Best Director, Special Jury Prize, Best Actor/Actress and Artistic Contribution. The Grand Prize-winning film will serve as the festival's closing film.
In addition, it will showcase a special "Carte Blanche" program, featuring screenings curated by prominent cultural figures, including Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho and Maggie Kang, the co-director of the global phenomenon "KPop Demon Hunters."
"Parasite" director Bong has chosen Shinji Aoyama's 2000 film "Eureka," while Maggie Kang has selected Bong's 2006 film "The Host."
Park Chan-wook's new film, "No Other Choice," has been selected to open the 30th edition. The opening ceremony will be hosted by the movie's lead actor, Lee Byung-hun.
This year, the festival has officially invited 241 movies, up from the 224 showcased last year. Including the movies selected for the citizen-driven Community BIFF, the total number of films being presented is 328.
The festival will also highlight the works of Italian director Marco Bellocchio, whose prolific career spans over six decades, and French actress Juliette Binoche. Both are expected to attend the festival in person.
Other dignitaries scheduled to attend include Japanese actor Ken Watanabe, best known for his role in "The Last Samurai" (2003) and Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, who won Best Director and Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 2017 for "The Shape of Water." Tony Leung Chiu-wai, who won Best Actor at Cannes for his role "In the Mood for Love" (2000), will also be present.
Among the notable events is a special sing-along screening event of the animated film "KPop Demon Hunters."
Five Korean films have been chosen for a special premiere at BIFF's Korean Cinema Today program, aimed at showcasing notable recent Korean films. The lineup includes Kim Byung-woo's "The Great Flood," Ra Hee-chan's "Boss," Ha Jung-woo's "The People Upstairs," "Audition 109," co-directed by actor Jung Woo and director Oh Seong-ho and Lee Hwan's "Project Y."
In addition, the festival's Vision section will screen 23 Asian independent films by both emerging and mid-career directors.
BIFF is slated to run from Sept. 17-26.
(END)
(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved
