Busan International Film Festival Unveils 29th Edition Lineup

Opening and Closing Films

Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has revealed the full lineup for its 29th edition, which will open with the world premiere of Netflix period drama Uprising, produced and co-written by Park Chan-wook, and close with Eric Khoo’s Spirit World, starring Catherine Deneuve.

Awards and Honors

Japanese auteur Kiyoshi Kurosawa will receive the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award, while organizers addressed ongoing funding challenges facing the festival.

New Titles and Sections

A total of 224 films, comprising features and shorts, have been selected for this year’s edition. A further 55 films will be screened as part of the festival’s Community BIFF outreach programme.

The 18 titles that will play across the competitive New Currents and Jiseok strands were revealed last week. Dissident filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof, who fled his native Iran earlier this year before appearing in Competition at Cannes with The Seed Of The Sacred Fig, has been named president of the New Currents jury.

Additional Highlights

BIFF will also honor late South Korean actor Lee Sun-kyun at the upcoming festival with several screenings and a posthumous Korean Cinema Award. A retrospective dedicated to Portuguese film director Miguel Gomes, comprising eight titles, has also been announced along with new section Teen Spirit, Teen Movie, featuring Asian coming-of-age films such as Tiger Stripes, My Sunshine and Happyend.

Conclusion

The 29th Busan International Film Festival promises to be an exciting event, with a diverse range of films and sections showcasing the best of Asian cinema. With the addition of new titles and sections, the festival is sure to attract a wide range of audiences and industry professionals.

FAQs

* When is the festival taking place?
+ October 2-11
* What is the opening film?
+ Netflix period drama Uprising
* Who will receive the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award?
+ Kiyoshi Kurosawa
* How many films have been selected for the festival?
+ 224 films, comprising features and shorts