The 29th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) will make history this year by opening with an OTT (over-the-top) film for the first time. The festival will also feature audience-voted awards for popular films and actors and has invited an idol documentary as part of its lineup. These changes reflect the festival’s effort to embrace a broader audience as it approaches its 30th anniversary next year.
The BIFF organizing committee revealed this year’s program during a press conference on Sept. 3 at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Seoul. The festival, scheduled from Oct. 2 to 11, will take place at various venues, including the Busan Cinema Center. This year’s lineup includes 224 films from 63 countries, 15 more than last year.
The opening film, Uprising, is a Netflix production set to be released later this year. Directed by Kim Sang-man, who previously won an art direction award at the Grand Bell Awards for Joint Security Area, the film is produced and co-written by Park Chan-wook. Uprising is a sweeping historical drama featuring actors Park Jung-min and Kang Dong-won, who portray a master and servant reunited as soldiers in a rebellion against King Seonjo, played by Cha Seung-won. BIFF Acting Executive Director Park Do-shin said the decision to open with an OTT film was driven by its strong public appeal and its potential for audience enjoyment.
The inclusion of OTT films has become a significant indicator of a film festival’s openness to change. For example, the Cannes Film Festival initially resisted including OTT films, and in 2017, jury president Pedro Almodóvar stated that a film not shown in theaters could not win the Palme d’Or, following the controversy surrounding Bong Joon-ho’s Netflix film Okja. Even now, Cannes requires OTT films to have at least a brief theatrical release to qualify for competition. However, Uprising will be exclusively available on Netflix, with no plans for a theatrical release.
This year’s BIFF also underscores its focus on broad appeal through its film selections. The “Open Cinema” section will feature RM: Right People, Wrong Place, a documentary starring RM, the leader of BTS. BIFF programmer Kang So-won said the documentary was chosen for its potential to delight a wide audience.
In response to the growing interest in documentaries, BIFF has introduced a new audience award in the documentary section. One of the 10 selected documentaries will receive a 10 million won cash prize based on audience votes. Additionally, a “People’s Choice Award” will allow the audience to vote for the most popular actor in the OTT category. Kim Young-deok, head of Busan’s industry platform, Asian Contents and Film Market, said that incorporating public opinion would enhance engagement with the awards ceremony.
Microsoft will also make its debut at BIFF this year, focusing on artificial intelligence. The tech giant will set up a booth in Busan, marking the first time an Asian film festival has featured a Microsoft AI experience lounge. Microsoft plans to showcase its AI program, “Copilot,” and host a generative AI conference.
As in previous years, BIFF will showcase films that have already gained acclaim at the Cannes and Berlin International Film Festivals. The 77th Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or winner Anora, Best Director winner Grand Tour, Jury Prize winner Emilia Perez, and Best Screenplay winner The Substance have all been invited. Dying, which won three awards at the 74th Berlin Film Festival, including the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize, will also be screened.
The “Asian Filmmaker of the Year” award, which honors contributions to the development of Asian cinema, will be presented to Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Known in South Korea for his 1997 film Cure, starring Kōji Yakusho, Kurosawa will bring two new films, Serpent’s Path and Cloud, to the festival. The closing film, Spirit World, is a co-production between France, Singapore, and Japan, exploring the true meaning of life through the story of a protagonist, played by Catherine Deneuve, whose soul continues to wander after death.
The full BIFF screening schedule will be released on Sept. 12, and tickets will be available for purchase starting Sept. 24 at 2 p.m. through the festival’s official website (ticket.biff.kr).
