31st Busan International Film Festival opens today with 93 world premieres, bringing Asia’s biggest film celebration and global auteurs and stars to Busan

Ten days of cinema, with masters and stars creating an overwhelming film paradise

The 31st Busan International Film Festival, the heart of Asia’s cinema scene, is set to make a spectacular return. The festival will open at 6 p.m. on the 6th at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae-gu, Busan, and run through the 15th, ready to captivate filmmakers and audiences from around the world.

A total of 247 officially invited films from 59 countries will light up Haeundae this year. In particular, 93 are world premieres—films making their first appearance on screens anywhere in the world—underscoring the festival’s standing as Asia’s largest film event. Including unofficial screenings, 316 diverse films will meet audiences at 31 screens across eight theaters in and around Busan.

The competition section, which will feature a fierce contest among emerging directors, enters its second year. Thirteen films by next-generation masters drawing global attention have been selected, including works by South Korea’s Lim Ha-yeon and Kim Jeong-hoon; Iran’s Majid Majidi; Japan’s Hirose Nanako and Okita Shuichi; and Taiwan’s Li Yun-chan.

The Icons section, where audiences can experience the creative force of master filmmakers, is another highlight. A total of 35 masterpieces will be screened, including Fjord, the latest film by Christian Mungiu, winner of the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The festival will also present a special program on animation, which has recently emerged as a central force in the film industry. Focusing on Japanese animation, a global trendsetter, the program will showcase 13 outstanding works, including short films.

The lineup of global masters and stars arriving in Haeundae is equally impressive. Directors whose names alone carry enormous weight—including Iran’s Majid Majidi; Japan’s Hirokazu Kore-eda and Rintaro; the Philippines’ Lav Diaz; and Taiwan’s Tsai Ming-liang—will come to Busan. Ann Hui, the grande dame of Hong Kong cinema, will receive the Camellia Award for elevating the standing of women filmmakers.

Global superstars will also make their way to the festival. Asian stars including China’s Zhou Xun and Fan Bingbing; Japan’s Masami Nagasawa, Ryusei Yokohama, Tasuku Emoto and Kento Yamazaki will visit Busan. They will be joined by Hollywood actor Maggie Gyllenhaal, who delivered a standout performance in director Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, taking the festival’s energy to a peak.

The festival has also filled out a rich slate of intimate programs that put audiences in direct conversation with filmmakers and performers. In the Carte Blanche section, director Kim Ji-woon, actor Fan Bingbing and cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo will engage in in-depth conversations through the films that shaped their lives. Actors House will feature top South Korean performers including Kim Go-eun, Kim Min-ha, Ryu Seung-ryong, Shin Min-a and Ju Ji-hoon, who will share candid thoughts on their acting philosophies. In addition, the audience-participation program Community BIFF and Neighborhood BIFF, which brings screenings to landmarks throughout Busan, are expected to transform the entire city into one giant movie theater.