[Edaily Starin YUN GI BACK Reporter] The 30th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) kicked off its 11-day run with a spectacular opening ceremony on the 2nd. Marking its 30th anniversary, this year’s festival reflected on the current state of genre cinema while presenting a vision for AI content and the future of the film industry, signaling a new beginning.

The opening ceremony, held on the 2nd at the Bucheon Art Center in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, was graced by the presence of domestic and international film industry figures, including Fan Bingbing, Isabelle Huppert, Josh Ho, and Director Yuan Hua-ping. Additionally, the Bucheon FC 1995 team, its supporters’ club, and Bucheon citizens walked the red carpet together, demonstrating that the festival is a celebration shared with the community.
The opening ceremony kicked off with a celebratory performance directed by Song Seung-hwan. The stage, themed “The Coexistence of Humanoid Robots and Humans,” symbolically captured the direction of this year’s film festival—which centers on the AI era—and captivated the audience.
Organizing Committee Chairman Cho Yong-ik stated, “Over the past 30 years, BIFAN has grown into the nation’s premier genre film festival,” adding, “We have prepared a festival where both filmmakers and citizens take center stage.”

Organizing Committee Chair Jang Mi-hee also remarked, “The past 30 years have been a time of challenging established conventions and presenting new possibilities,” adding, “This year, BIFAN aims to share with audiences a new vision of cinema where the present and the future coexist.”
Special awards commemorating the 30th anniversary were also presented. Actor Josh Ho received the “Fantastic Icon Award” in recognition of his original contributions to the genre film industry; Fan Bingbing received the “Global Icon Award”; and Isabelle Huppert, a leading French actress, received the “Lifetime Achievement Award.”
In addition, programmer Nam Jong-seok received the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, an award presented by the French government. This official recognition of his contributions to expanding the reach of genre films and fostering international film exchange marked a significant moment that underscored the festival’s international standing.

Director Yuan Hua-ping’s new film, *Piao Yin: The Great Curtain of Punggi*, was selected as the opening film. Honorary Organizing Committee Chairperson Jeong Ji-young, who introduced the film, said, “Please enjoy this new challenge from Director Yuan Hua-ping, who has made a significant mark on the world of action cinema.” Director Yuan Hua-ping, who took the stage, shared his thoughts on meeting the audience with his film as the BIFAN opening feature, while Executive Committee Chair Shin Cheol expressed his hopes for the festival’s upcoming schedule. Following the opening ceremony, an outdoor screening of “Pyo-in: The Great Battle of Punggi” was held at the Eoullmadang Plaza in Bucheon City Hall.
Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, BIFAN will run for ten days through the 12th, presenting 321 films along with AI films, extended reality (XR) content, exhibitions, performances, and hands-on programs. In particular, the festival plans to accelerate its expansion beyond a genre film festival into a platform for the future content industry by expanding the AI film competition section and launching the “Bucheon AI Content Summit.”