The 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) is entering its final days ahead of the closing ceremony on October 15. Just five days after its opening, the festival has already surpassed 50,000 attendees, exceeding last year's total attendance and marking a record-breaking success. The excitement is building for the diverse events in the festival's concluding days, including the highly anticipated Busan Awards.
According to the BIFF organizing committee, as of October 10, the fifth day of the festival, the number of attendees at various program events, including open talks and outdoor stage greetings at the Busan Cinema Center, Cine Class, and Actors House, reached 50,000.
This surge in attendance is attributed to a bold programming strategy. The introduction of a 'Tuesday opening' system this year, along with scheduling five screenings a day in large theaters from Thursday to Sunday, has significantly increased opportunities for audiences to attend.
Notable international filmmakers, including this year's Asia Film Person of the Year winner, Michelle Yeoh, as well as Alfonso Cuarón, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and He Ping, have contributed to the festival's vibrant atmosphere by leading master classes and special talks.
As the festival progresses, audience engagement with filmmakers continues. A series of significant indoor and outdoor events are lined up to maintain the momentum and satisfy film fans.
One highlight is the 'Scene Stealers: The People Who Stole the Scene' event, featuring acclaimed supporting actors Kim Guk-hee, Kim Jae-cheol, Gong Min-jeong, Park Ji-yeon, Lim Sung-jae, and Kim Jun-han, who will share behind-the-scenes stories of unforgettable moments in their works.
Additionally, an open talk with French national treasure Isabelle Huppert and director Marc Fitoussi, along with a Cine Class featuring director Judith Godrèche and actress Shim Eun-kyung, will provide insights into cross-border cinematic philosophies. A special talk led by critic Jeong Sung-il will reflect on the late actor Ahn Seong-ki and the history of Korean cinema, while a Cine Class with 'The Outlaws' producer Jang Won-seok and jury member director Bikan will offer lively discussions from the film industry.
Alongside the film festival, the 21st Asia Content & Film Market (ACFM), the largest video industry business event in Asia, is concluding its four-day schedule on October 13. This year, ACFM attracted over 3,000 industry professionals from more than 1,200 companies across 58 countries. Notably, Thailand participated in the newly introduced guest country program, and the Asia Project Market (APM) showcased 30 selected projects from a record 604 submissions to global investors and distributors. The event effectively served as a platform for global content business, covering topics from intellectual property to global co-productions, cinematic AI, and new media.
The ten-day celebration of Asia's largest film festival will conclude with the closing ceremony at the Busan Cinema Center on October 15. Actor Im Si-wan will host the ceremony, ensuring a smooth finale.
One of the highlights of the closing ceremony will be the announcement of the Busan Awards, a new competitive section established this year, alongside the elevation of the festival's status to an 'A-list' by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF). A jury led by renowned director Zhang Yimou will announce the winners in five categories, including Best Film, Best Director, Jury Special Award, Best Actor, and Artistic Contribution Award, from the 13 competing films screened by October 11.
The winner of the prestigious Best Film award will receive the unique benefit of eligibility for the U.S. Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, and this film will serve as the closing feature of the 31st Busan International Film Festival, bringing the ten-day celebration to a grand conclusion.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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