31st Busan International Film Festival Set for Another Blockbuster Year

[Anchor]

Following the massive attention it drew for its 30th anniversary last year, the Busan International Film Festival is once again forecasting a box-office hit this year. As Busan has become a city drawing global attention, its international status is expected to rise even further.

Cho Jin-wook from KNN has the report.

[Reporter]

Last year's Busan International Film Festival was grander than ever as it marked its 30th anniversary.

Figures who left a mark on world film history, such as Iranian film master Jafar Panahi and renowned actor Juliette Binoche, flocked to Busan.

Fueled by various box-office drivers, including the newly introduced competitive awards, the festival went down as a success, drawing more than 170,000 visitors.

This year's festival is also forecasting massive success.

Domestic stars such as Kim Hye-ja, Zo In-sung, and Yoo Hai-jin, alongside heavyweights from home and abroad—including Michelle Yeoh, the first Asian actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actress—will grace the red carpet.

[Jeong Han-seok / Executive Programmer, Busan International Film Festival: As you all know, our global status has taken a leap forward. Moving past our 30th edition, it has grown much more solid. We also hope this becomes a crucial turning point for the revitalization of the Korean film industry.]

The elevated status of BIFF is also evident.

It has been selected for the A-list tier of top global film festivals designated by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF), meaning that a winner in the competitive section in Busan automatically qualifies for submission to the Academy Awards in the United States.

[Park Kwang-su / Chairperson, Busan International Film Festival: In the past, we saw media outlets mention us as one of the top four or five film festivals, but this is the first time we have received an official evaluation among film festivals worldwide. We will contemplate how we can move forward as a uniquely original film festival.]

This year's lineup features 315 films. Unlike last year, the proportion of OTT content, such as Netflix, has decreased, while animated film entries have increased.

The festival is also focusing on strengthening the substance of its competitive section, which is now in its second year.

As the Busan International Film Festival reaches global prominence, attention from filmmakers will converge here in Busan on October 6, raising expectations over whether it can serve as a stepping stone for the recovering domestic film industry.

(Video Journalist: Oh Won-seok, KNN)

Cho Jin-wook, KNN
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.