Busan Film Festival 2025: Park Chan-wook Opens Historic 30th Edition with Competition Debut
Asia's premier film festival launches first-ever competition section with 241 films and unprecedented star lineup
The 30th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) makes history September 17-26, 2025, introducing its inaugural competition section after three decades as a non-competitive event. Park Chan-wook's thriller "No Other Choice" will open the milestone edition, marking the "Oldboy" director's return after winning Best Director at Cannes for "Decision to Leave."
First Competition Section Launches
BIFF debuts 14 Asian films competing for five Busan Awards: Grand Prize, Best Director, Special Jury Prize, Best Actor/Actress, and Artistic Contribution. The competition merges the previous New Currents and Kim Jiseok Award categories, representing the festival's most significant structural change since its 1996 founding.
Festival Director Jung Han-seok emphasized the competition's role in elevating Asian cinema: "The 14 films will showcase Asian cinema's flow, vision, and direction." The Grand Prize winner will be screened as the closing film, replacing the traditional standalone closing title.
Expanded Programming
The festival screens 241 official selections, up from 224 last year, with Community BIFF programming bringing the total to 324 films. Additional venues accommodate the expansion, including a new family space at the Busan Cinema Center's BIFF Hill.
Notable competition entries include Shu Qi's directorial debut "Girl" and Bi Gan's "Resurrection", with 10 world premieres among the 14 competing films.
Star-Studded Events
Lee Byung-hun hosts the opening ceremony, also starring in the opening film alongside Son Ye-jin. Claudia Kim will host the closing ceremony, presenting the inaugural Busan Awards.
Master filmmakers attending include Jia Zhangke, Johnnie To, Tsai Ming-liang, Lee Chang-dong, Guillermo del Toro, and Michael Mann. The Asian contingent features actors Watanabe Ken, Oguri Shun, Tony Leung Ka-fai, and Shu Qi.
Supporting Korean Cinema
Chairman Park Kwang-su addressed the industry's challenges: "We've worked to implement our identity with reality. BIFF will be reevaluated from an Asian perspective." Director Jung Han-seok expressed hopes the festival will "spark renewed global interest in Korean cinema".
The special "Carte Blanche" program features Bong Joon-ho, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kang Dong-won, journalist Son Seok-hee, and novelist Eun Hee-kyung selecting and discussing their favorite films.
Awards and Recognition
Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi receives the Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award, while veteran Korean director Chung Ji-young gets the Korean Cinema Achievement Award. The festival retains the New Currents Award for debut features within the new competition structure.
Enhanced Experience
Forum BIFF returns September 18-21 with discussions on Asian cinema's future. The festival expands its Midnight Passion section from two to four nights and revives the Asian Cinema 100 project from 2015.
The Gala Presentation features Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein," Jafar Panahi's "It Was Just an Accident," and two Korean films: Byun Sung-hyun's "Good News" and Lee Sang-il's "National Treasure."
Bottom Line
BIFF 2025 (September 17-26) represents a watershed moment for Asian cinema, launching competitive status while maintaining its core mission of discovering new talent and supporting regional filmmakers during challenging industry times.
The festival takes place at Busan Cinema Center and venues throughout Busan's Haeundae district.
