[Edaily Starin Choi Hee-jae Reporter] With its opening just a month away, the Busan International Film Festival is preparing for a new decade as it marks its 30th anniversary. The festival has completed its preparations to welcome audiences with an expanded program, including efforts to elevate its global standing and strengthen the competitiveness of its competition sections.

Chairman Park Kwang-soo, Executive Committee Chair Jung Han-seok, Market Committee Chair Kim Young-deok, and Deputy Executive Committee Chair Park Ga-eon attended the press conference for the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), held on the afternoon of the 1st in the Members’ Conference Room at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jung-gu, Seoul.
This year’s lineup features 246 officially invited films. This is an increase of five films compared to last year and marks the largest scale since 2019. Including films screened as part of the affiliated “Community BIFF” program, a total of 315 films will be shown.
Chairman Park Kwang-soo stated, “Whether BIFF is the sixth-largest or the 17th-largest film festival, there are still many shortcomings and issues to be resolved,” adding, “We are contemplating how to develop into a film festival that is both unique and relevant to today’s realities as Asia’s leading film festival.”

◇A Look at the Six Keywords for This Year’s BIFF
Executive Committee Chairman Jeong Han-seok said, “If we were to summarize the characteristics of this year’s BIFF with concise keywords, there are six,” citing: △Strengthening global standing △Expanding audience access △Enhancing the competitiveness of the competition sections △The rise of animation △A spectacular guest lineup △A tribute to women in film.
Chairman Jeong highlighted the changes at this year’s festival, noting, “It is true that our international standing has skyrocketed since the 30th edition.” This year, the Busan International Film Festival was officially designated as an “A-list festival” by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF), formally recognizing its status as a major global film festival on par with Cannes, Berlin, and Venice.
Additionally, the winner of the “Busan Award – Grand Prize,” the top prize in the festival’s competition section, has been granted eligibility to be submitted for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. There are a total of six film festivals designated by the Academy as eligible for submission to the Best International Feature Film category: Busan, Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance, and Toronto.
Furthermore, the Busan International Film Festival actively participates in international collaborations to discuss the future of world cinema. This September, it will participate in the first “Lumière Summit,” co-chaired by the leaders of South Korea and France, to discuss the future of cinema with leaders from the film and video industries around the world.
For its second year, the competition section has selected a final lineup of 14 films. Im Ha-yeon’s *Tae-ju of That Day*, Nanako Hirose’s *Between Two Lovers*, Takuya Kato’s *The Day After Sunday*, Cheon Ji-won’s *The Descendant*, Gu Yu’s *The Loneliness of a First Encounter*, Botir Abdurakhmanov’s *Hilol*, Director Yeom Gyu-bok’s *The Long, Long Night*, Majid Majidi’s “Bread and Books,” Eddie Kahayono’s “My Mother,” Shuichi Okita’s “Satoko Is Always,” Joseph Angi Noen’s “A Name Engraved on the Sea,” Director Kim Jeong-hoon’s “Shaving,” Miki Tanaka’s “Silver Express,” and Li Yunchan’s “To Be Ordinary.”
Regarding the selection of animated films in particular, Chairman Park stated, “An important attitude for a film festival is to remain alert to the currents of contemporary change and respond nimbly,” adding, “That is the reason behind the selection of these animated films.”
He continued, “Even looking just at Asia, the top-grossing films in both China and Japan were animated works, and last year, the film *K-Pop Demon Hunters* took the world by storm,” adding, “I believe the rise of animation at the Busan International Film Festival is unprecedented. Many masterpieces of animation are emerging.”

◇Global Stars from Yang Zi to Maggie Gyllenhaal Take the Stage
The Busan International Film Festival will present 35 films in the “Icon” section, which showcases the latest works by world-renowned masters. This marks the largest lineup in the festival’s history. Director Kore-eda will meet audiences with his film *Look Back*. In addition, world-class directors such as Majid Majidi, Rintaro, Lav Diaz, Hu Anhua, Tsai Ming-liang, and Bertrand Mandico will be in attendance.
Maggie Gyllenhaal will make her first visit to Korea for “Flash Impact,” a film created to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe’s birth. Yang Ziqing returns to Busan for the first time in 15 years to receive the Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award.
Also in attendance will be actors Isabelle Huppert, Christine Hakim, Seo Gi, Zhou Xun, Fan Bingbing, Masami Nagasawa, Tasuku Emoto, Haru Kuroki, Ryusei Yokohama, Kento Yamazaki, Kohei Matsushita, Erika Sawajiri, Ryuhei Maruyama, Eita Nagayama, Shuhua from "The Kids," Michelle Mao, Jin Ha, and Dawika Hone—stars from around the world will gather in one place.
Korean film directors such as Lee Chang-dong, Na Hong-jin, Kim Ji-woon, and Hong Kyung-pyo will meet with audiences. Among Korean actors, Kim Hye-ja, Jo Yeo-jeong, Jeon Do-yeon, Seol Kyung-gu, Jo In-sung, Lee Min-ho, Hyun Bin, Jung Woo-sung, Woo Do-hwan, Jo Yeo-jeong, Lee Hee-joon, Son Seok-gu, Jung Sung-il, Yoo Jae-myung, Ryu Seung-ryong, Kim Do-yeon, Park Ji-hyun, and Jo Yi-hyun have confirmed their attendance.
The stars of “Actors’ House” are Kim Go-eun, Kim Min-ha, Ryu Seung-ryong, Shin Min-a, Lee Min-ho, and Joo Ji-hoon. “Actors’ House” is a special talk show where leading contemporary actors reflect on their filmographies and share their acting philosophies and little-known behind-the-scenes stories in a candid and in-depth manner.
Chairman Park said, “Last year, I mentioned our hope to make this a festival celebrating the overcoming of the crisis in Korean cinema and its renewed growth. While Korean cinema has not yet fully recovered this year, an optimistic atmosphere is taking shape.”
He continued, “This year, we hope the festival will serve as a midpoint from which Korean cinema can move toward prosperity and a renaissance,” adding, “There are many excellent films featured across the various Korean film sections.”
This year’s opening film is Director Kim Jong-kwan’s *Day and Night Are for Each Other*. Set against the backdrop of the changing seasons from summer to fall, the film captures the lighthearted, simple, and charming conversations of four couples who cross paths at a café. The cast includes Kim Min-ha, Joo Jong-hyuk, Han Sun-hwa, Jang Ryul, Shim Eun-kyung, Lee Hee-joon, Jeon So-young, and Kim Dong-hwi.
The 31st Busan International Film Festival will be held from October 6 to October 15 at the Busan Cinema Center and throughout Busan. Actress Kim Min-ha will host the opening ceremony.