Busan is good

Towards the Sea of Cinema: Busan’s 30th Autumn, the 30th Busan International Film Festival!

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that Asia’s largest film festival, the 30th Busan International Film Festival, will be held for 10 days from September 17 to 26.

The opening ceremony of the 30th Busan International Film Festival will take place on September 17 at 6:00 p.m. at the outdoor theater of Busan Cinema Center. Over the next ten days, screenings and events will be held throughout Busan, including at Busan Cinema Center, Centum City, and Nampo-dong.

The festival is sponsored by Busan Metropolitan City and organized by the Busan International Film Festival.

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The 30th Busan International Film Festival

• ●Period and Venues: September 17 (Wed) – September 26 (Fri), 2025. Screenings across Busan, including Busan Cinema Center, Centum City, and Nampo-dong.

• ○7 theaters, 31 screens (Busan Cinema Center, CGV Centum City, Lotte Cinema Centum City, Dongseo University Sohyang Theater, Shinhan Card Hall, Busan Media Center, and others).

• ●Scale: 64 official selections from 241 countries, 87 Community BIFF screenings, 32 Dongnebangne BIFF screenings.

• ●Major Events: Opening and closing ceremonies, film screenings, guest talks, Community BIFF, Dongnebangne BIFF, outdoor stage greetings, open talks, special talks, and Actor’s House.

• ●Organizer: Busan International Film Festival.

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At this year’s festival, 64 official selections from 241 countries, 87 Community BIFF films, and 32 Dongnebangne BIFF films will be screened, offering more works and distinguished guests than ever before.

Compared to last year, the number of official selections has increased, with 90 world premiere films presented for the first time. Audiences will encounter a diverse range of films that reflect the global cinematic landscape, along with world-renowned directors and Asian stars.

For the first time in its 30-year history, the festival will feature an official competition section, establishing itself as a global competitive film festival. Fourteen major Asian works will be screened, expected to draw significant attention from the international film community.

In particular, the newly established Busan Awards will honor outstanding films in five categories: Grand Prize, Best Director, Jury’s Special Award, Best Actor, and Artistic Contribution Award.

Award winners will receive trophies designed by the world-renowned filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul, further enhancing the festival’s symbolism and prestige.

The opening film of the festival will be Park Chan-wook’s much-anticipated work “No Other Choice.” The closing film will be the Busan Awards Grand Prize winner, screened without a separate selection process.

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The festival emphasizes its audience-friendly approach by expanding programs such as Community BIFF and Dongnebangne BIFF, and by offering diverse side events including Open Cinema, Actor’s House, Master Classes, and Special Talks.

Community BIFF will be held from September 18 to 21 at BIFF Square in Nampo-dong, Megabox Busan Theater, and other venues. Meanwhile, Dongnebangne BIFF, celebrating its 5th anniversary this year, will take place from September 17 to 26 under the theme “Wind Path,” with screenings at 15 different locations throughout Busan.

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Alongside the Busan International Film Festival, the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM 2025) will be held both at BEXCO Exhibition Hall 2 and on an online platform from September 20 to 23.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, ACFM has established itself as a leading marketplace for Asian film and content industries.

This year, with the theme of content–technology convergence and global networking, the market will introduce expanded programs such as:

• ●InnoAsia: A platform linking innovative technologies with the film content industry, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange across Asia.

• ●The A: A new platform supporting co-production and distribution in the documentary sector.

• ●Doc Square: A co-production support fund for international documentary projects, enhancing collaborative productions.

• ●Asian Cinema Fund (ACF): Continued support for Asian and Korean independent film productions.

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The 20th Asian Contents & Film Market

• ●Period and Venue: September 20 (Sat) – September 23 (Tue), 2025. BEXCO Exhibition Hall 2.

• ●Scale: About 1,200 companies from 50 countries, with over 2,500 participants.

• ●Major Programs: Sales Market, Asian Project Market, Busan Story Market, InnoAsia, and Producer’s Hub.

• ●Organizer: Busan International Film Festival.

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Mayor Park Heong-joon remarked, “The 30th Busan International Film Festival is a milestone that reflects Busan’s growth into a world-class film city, and a new starting point for the next 30 years. Based on the achievements created together by citizens and filmmakers, we will further strengthen the revival of Korean cinema and solidarity within Asian cinema.”

He added, “Starting with this film festival, Busan will shine as a city overflowing with culture and arts, as the season continues with various festivals such as the Busan Fireworks Festival in October and G-Star.” He called on citizens and audiences for their interest and participation.