The 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) will take place across various locations in Busan, including the Busan Cinema Center, from October 6 to 15.

This year's festival will feature 247 official selections from 59 countries.

The opening film will be director Kim Jong-kwan's "Day and Night to Each Other," which will make its world premiere.

Fourteen films have been invited to the competition section.

In particular, this year's Busan International Film Festival proved its global status by being officially selected as an "A-list film festival" by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF).

The winner of the "Busan Award Grand Prize," the highest honor in the competition section, will be granted eligibility to submit for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.

A stage for the Asian film industry business, spanning planning, investment, production, and distribution, will also unfold.

The 21st Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) will be held at Exhibition Center 2 of BEXCO from October 10 to 13, featuring 64 programs across 7 sectors that address the latest trends in the Asian film industry, including intellectual property (IP), global investment and distribution, cinematic artificial intelligence (AI), and new media.

Participatory programs that engage with citizens have also been significantly expanded.

"Neighborhood BIFF," now in its 6th year, is expanding its stage beyond Busan to 17 regions including Yangsan and Seoul, while "Community BIFF," held around the Nampodong area in Jung-gu, will screen a total of 69 films across 42 sessions in an audience-driven format where audiences directly plan the programs.

(Photo: Yonhap News)