Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has announced plans to launch its first-time competitive section as part of a broader programming and team improvements that coincides with the 30.th Anniversary.
The festival, which will be held from September 17th to 26th, will showcase around 14 Asian films in the new Competition Strand. The five award categories include Grand Prize, Best Director, Special Jue Award, Best Actor (gifted to two performers), and artistic contributions. Grand Prize winners will mark changes from the previous year that will be screened as the festival’s closing film and will be shown with separate selected titles.
Biff was the first to announce that it would move to a competitive format after last year’s edition. The new current and Jiseok Strands, previously used as a platform for festival awards, will collapse into a new competition section.
The festival will also reuse the New Currents Award, which has been introduced since the first edition of Biff in 1996, rewarding one debut feature by the first director selected from films exhibited in the Competition and Vision section. Another ju umpire has been appointed for this award, with the aim of helping the festival continue to discover and support the next generation of filmmakers.
At a press conference held today (April 29th) at Busan Film Centre, Biff Chairman Park Kwang-Su explained the motivation behind the move. “We aim to more actively discover and diversify the excellence and diversity of Asian cinema, and to contribute to further elevating the status of Asian cinema in the global film industry,” he said. “The selection of a ju apprentice is ongoing.”
The trophy is designed by Apichatpon Weeracetakul, the acclaimed Thai filmmaker behind Cannes Palmed Orwienner Uncle Boonmee can remember his past life 2021 Cannes Jue Prize winner Memory.
Further changes to the programme will expand Biff’s Korean film “Today Vision Strand” into two sections: Vision-Asia and Vision-Korea), with 12 films selected for each. These are set to become independent films that will give you a glimpse into the future of Korean and Asian cinemas. Plans are underway to introduce awards for this section.
Midnight Passion Strand will also expand from genre films to art house titles, increasing from two nights to four nights during the festival, to widen the diversity of late-night screenings.
Organizers added that the festival will feature around 240 films this year, from 224 selected for the previous edition, bringing its pre-pandemic level with up to 300 titles.
“After 30 years of growth along with Asian films, we look forward to presenting a new vision for the next 30 years,” added Chair Park.
Team Changes
The press conference marked the first release and comment from Jong Han Seok since being promoted from Korean film programmer to festival director last month.
He sets goals to strengthen Biff’s solidarity with Asian films, dealing with the ongoing slump that has hit the Korean film industry, and creating a more audience-friendly festival through famous films and guests.
“As we all know, the film industry is facing major challenges at this point,” Jung said. “We aim to bring new energy through programming, while using the forum to explore potential solutions.”
Organizers also had the opportunity to introduce Karen Park as the new program director. First working at the festival in 2009, the park takes on the role of a Biff programmer with Latin American and European titles.
She replaced Nam Dong-Chul, who joined Biff as a programmer in 2013 before being appointed program director in 2013. Nam was appointed interim festival director in 2023 following the resignation of Huh Moonung.
He returned to the role of program director last year. screen He didn’t want to take on the role of festival director full time. According to Biff, Nam, the general manager of the Asian film market by name at the time between 2008 and 2013, remained “personal reasons.”
With further changes, there is filmmaker Min Kyu-Dong Old woman holding a knife It will be screened in Berlin in February and oversee production for the opening and closing ceremonies to create a more impactful event. This is the first time a creative from outside an organization has handled these elements of a festival.
The landmark version of Biff, held in Busan this year’s port town of Korea, is scheduled to take place nearly a month before normal to avoid national holidays held in mid-October. One of Asia’s leading film festivals and related industry platform, the Asian Content & Film Market (ACFM), is in parallel between September 20-23.
(TagStoTRASSLATE) Asia (T) Busan (T) Festival (T) Korea
