BIFF comes to a close after welcoming more than 200,000 attendees
The Busan International Film Festival closes Thursday after posting its highest visitor numbers since 2015, bolstered by a larger film slate and global stars such as Michelle Yeoh and Maggie Gyllenhaal.
An Open Talk session for the Netflix original series “The Blue Road” takes place at the Roof Theater of the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae District, Busan, on Oct. 9, during the 31st Busan International Film Festival.
YONHAP
The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) is set to conclude later Thursday after attracting more than 200,000 admissions during its 10-day run, organizers said.
The 31st edition of BIFF also drew nearly 77,000 participants for other cinema programs and events, organizers said during a press conference at the Busan Cinema Center in the southeastern port city of Busan.
Admissions surpassed the 200,000 mark for the first time since 2015. The overall number of visitors, including moviegoers and program participants, also increased by about 40,000 compared to the previous year.
This year’s event featured screenings for 315 films, including 246 official invitations, which marked the biggest slate since 2019. Of the total, 94 works had their world premieres at BIFF.
Held as the first BIFF edition with an A-list accreditation by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations, alongside prestigious film festivals such as Cannes, Berlin and Venice, this year’s event brought together prominent filmmakers, actors and industry officials from Korea and abroad.
Among notable guests were Malaysian actor Michelle Yeoh, who received this year’s Asian Filmmaker of the Year award, and Hong Kong director Ann Hui, who received the Camellia Award for her lifelong contributions to empowering women in the film industry.
Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón and American actor Maggie Gyllenhaal attended BIFF for their first official visit to the country, while renowned directors Hirokazu Kore-eda and Lav Diaz as well as actors Charlotte Gainsbourg and Fan Bingbing visited Busan.
From Korea, Lee Chang-dong, the auteur behind the Venice-winning “Possible Love,” attended with the film’s cast, including Jeon Do-yeon and Sul Kyung-gu, as did directors Na Hong-jin and Kim Jee-woon.
The closing ceremony is set for 7 p.m. and will be hosted by Korean actor Yim Si-wan.
The winners of the Busan Awards in the main Competition section, decided by a seven-member jury led by Chinese auteur Zhang Yimou, will be announced during the event.
Beginning this year, the top winner of the Busan Award will be eligible for submission to the Oscars in the Best International Feature Film category.
Alongside film screenings and events, the Asian Contents and Film Market for film investors and distributors attracted more than 30,000 visitors, with 339 companies from 32 countries holding exhibitions.
Yonhap
