The Iranian film "Bread and Books" has won the Busan Award Grand Prize, the top honor in the competition section of the 31st Busan International Film Festival.

At the closing ceremony of the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) held at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae-gu, Busan, on October 15, Iranian director Majid Majidi's "Bread and Books" was awarded the grand prize.

"Bread and Books" explores education, poverty, and social structures that are difficult to resolve through individual goodwill alone, following a protagonist in a small Iranian village who works as a teacher by day and an oil smuggler by night.

Director Majidi shared his thoughts, saying, "This is my first time visiting the Busan Film Festival, and I am honored to receive such a big award. I think it is thanks to the love and energy given by my mother, who passed away a few months before filming." Accompanied by an anti-war message expressing hope for "a world without war," he added, "I dedicate this honor to the people of Iran. They are still resisting oppression." Majidi is a director widely known for his 2001 film "Children of Heaven," which was also beloved by audiences in South Korea.

Chinese fifth-generation master director Zhang Yimou, who served as the head of the Busan Award jury this year, praised the film, stating, "It is the ideal film I had in mind, and a wonderful work unanimously chosen by all the judges."

The Busan International Film Festival established the competitive "Busan Award" section last year, selecting Chinese director Zhang Lu's "Dusk of Loumu" as its inaugural grand prize winner. Marking its second year, this year's choice was Iranian director Majid Majidi's "Bread and Books." Director Zhang Lu attended the closing ceremony on this day to personally present the trophy to Director Majidi. The prize money is 50 million won.

In addition, starting this year, the grand prize winner of the Busan Award will be granted eligibility for submission to the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.

The Best Director award went to Director Li Yunchan for "To Be Ordinary," while the Jury Special Prize was awarded to Director Eddie Chayohno's "My Mother." The Actor awards were won by Zhou Xun for "A First Farewell" and Himeno Kashun for "Satoko is Waiting." The Artistic Contribution Award went to sound director Li Danfeng for "A First Farewell," and the New Currents Award was received by Director Shashank Walia's "Birds in the Dark."

The 31st Busan International Film Festival, which opened on October 6, drew 200,043 attendees over its 10-day run. This marks the first time since 2015 that festival attendance has exceeded 200,000.

 

(Photo: Yonhap News) (SBS Entertainment News, Reporter Kim Ji-hye)