Busan Int'l Film Festival kicks off star-studded 10-day run

The 31st Busan International Film Festival opened Tuesday in Busan for a 10-day run. It presents 316 films from 59 countries across 31 screens in eight theaters, including 93 world premieres. Kim Jong-kwan’s The Table: Day and Night is the opening film. The festival has gained A-list recognition from FIAPF and features expanded competitions, industry programs and international guests.

The festival runs through Oct. 15 and is the largest BIFF edition since 2019.

BIFF’s second official competition features 13 Asian films competing across five categories for the Busan Awards.

Zhang Yimou leads a seven-member jury, and the top-prize winner can be submitted for the Academy Awards’ Best International Feature Film category.

The Asian Contents and Film Market will offer 64 programs across seven categories, with Thailand as the country of honor.

Michelle Yeoh will receive the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award and present three personally selected films alongside her latest feature, It’s My Time.

Published Oct 6, 2026 3:51 pm KST

Updated Oct 6, 2026 8:18 pm KST

The opening ceremony for the 31st Busan International Film Festival takes place at Busan Cinema Center in Busan, Tuesday. Yonhap

BUSAN — The 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) opened Tuesday for a 10-day run, bringing 316 films from 59 countries to Korea’s southeastern port city and ushering in an expanded set of cinema events with international prestige.

The opening ceremony, hosted by actress Kim Min-ha, took place at the Busan Cinema Center, officially kicking off Asia’s largest film festival.

Following the opening ceremony, director Kim Jong-kwan’s "The Table: Day and Night" will have its world premiere as the opening film. The movie explores the intersecting lives of four couples visiting a cafe during the transition from summer to autumn.

From left, director Kim Jong-kwan and actors Kim Min-ha, Joo Jong-hyuk, Han Sun-hwa, Chang Ryul, Shim Eun-kyung, Jeon So-young and Kim Dong-hwi pose during a press conference for "The Table Day and Night" at Busan Cinema Center in Busan, Tuesday. Newsis

Kim, who directed the opening film weaving four separate stories, expressed his gratitude for the festival's spotlight on the importance of small and subtle details.

"This movie is a story about small, subtle things, focusing on the meaning and beauty held within them," Kim said during a press conference at the Busan Cinema Center. "I am deeply honored and delighted to present this film on such a prestigious stage as the opening of the Busan International Film Festival."

Launched in 1996 as the country’s first international film festival, BIFF has grown into Asia's premier film event, serving as a platform for discovering new Asian directors and films.

Marking the largest version of the festival since 2019, this year’s events run through Oct. 15, presenting a diverse lineup across 31 screens in eight theaters in Busan, with 93 films making their world premieres.

This year, the festival has formal recognition as an A-list festival by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF), placing it alongside major global cinema events such as Cannes, Berlin and Venice.

People queue to purchase goods at Busan Cinema Center in Busan, Tuesday, the opening day of the 31st Busan International Film Festival. Yonhap

To offer expanded opportunities for movie fans, BIFF moved its opening day from Wednesday to Tuesday. Since audience visits are concentrated in the first week, organizers increased the daily screening sessions from four to five from Thursday through Sunday.

This year's edition marks its second year of official competition, featuring 13 Asian films vying across five categories for the Busan Awards. Jury head Zhang Yimou leads a seven-member jury to select the winners. The winner of the top prize is eligible to be submitted for the Best International Feature Film category at the U.S. Academy Awards.

Renowned international film figures are scheduled to attend this year's edition. Michelle Yeoh will receive the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award, with a special program in focus presenting three movies personally handpicked by her, alongside her latest feature "It's My Time," to spotlight her unique cinematic universe. Kim Dong-ho, former BIFF executive committee chairman, will receive the Korean Cinema Award, while Hong Kong filmmaker Ann Hui will receive the Camellia Award.

Director Alfonso Cuaron, actor and director Maggie Gyllenhaal, actors Isabelle Huppert and Charlotte Gainsbourg and directors Majid Majidi, Lav Diaz and Rintaro will also attend the festival.

People walk past Busan Cinema Center in Busan, Tuesday, the opening day of the 31st Busan International Film Festival. Yonhap

Asian stars such as Shu Qi, Zhou Xun, Fan Bingbing and Masami Nagasawa will gather in Busan to meet cinema fans. Korean filmmakers and actors, including directors Lee Chang-dong, Na Hong-jin and Kim Ji-woon, as well as actors Jeon Do-yeon and Hyun Bin will participate in various festival programs.

Special programs highlight various cinema aspects. "Those Beautiful Years, Ahn Sung-ki” honors the late actor’s legacy, while "Japanese Animation Special: Masterpieces of Madness, Exhilarating Prospects 12+1” explores the past and present of Japanese animation, screening classics including "The White Snake Enchantress" and "Metropolis."

In addition to film screenings, the festival will host major industry platforms to discuss the future of cinema and facilitate global film and content trades.

Forum BIFF takes place from Thursday to Sunday to address changing industry, technology and policy environments while exploring future possibilities of contemporary cinema. The Asian Contents and Film Market takes place from Saturday through Tuesday to serve as a business platform for buying, selling and funding Asian film and content, featuring 64 programs across seven categories with Thailand as the country of honor.

Community BIFF and BIFF Everywhere are engaging movie fans by expanding audience participation beyond traditional theaters to various locations across Busan, including Nampo-dong, as well as nearby Yangsan.

第31届釜山国际电影节于周二在釜山开幕，为期10天。电影节将在8家影院的31块银幕上展映来自59个国家的316部影片，其中包括93部全球首映。金钟宽执导的《餐桌：日与夜》作为开幕影片。本届电影节已获得国际电影制片人协会联合会（FIAPF）的A级认证，并扩大了竞赛单元、行业研讨会以及邀请了众多国际嘉宾。

电影节将持续到 10 月 15 日，是自 2019 年以来规模最大的一届釜山国际电影节。

釜山国际电影节第二届官方竞赛单元共有 13 部亚洲电影角逐釜山电影奖的五个奖项。

张艺谋领衔七人评审团，最高奖项获得者可角逐奥斯卡金像奖最佳国际影片奖。

亚洲内容及电影市场将提供涵盖七大类别的 64 个项目，泰国是本次活动的荣誉国。

杨紫琼将获得年度亚洲电影人奖，并携其最新力作《我的时代》一同展出她亲自挑选的三部影片。

发布于2026年10月6日下午3:51（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月6日晚上8:18（韩国标准时间）

第31届釜山国际电影节开幕式于周二在釜山电影中心举行。（韩联社）

釜山——第31届釜山国际电影节（BIFF）于周二开幕，为期10天，将来自59个国家的316部电影带到韩国东南部港口城市釜山，并开启了一系列具有国际声望的电影活动。

由女演员金敏荷主持的开幕式在釜山电影中心举行，正式拉开了亚洲最大电影节的序幕。

开幕式结束后，金钟冠导演的《餐桌：日与夜》将作为开幕影片进行全球首映。该片讲述了四对情侣在夏秋交替之际光顾一家咖啡馆，彼此交织的生活故事。

周二，在釜山电影中心举行的电影《日夜之桌》新闻发布会上，导演金钟冠（左）及演员金敏河、朱钟赫、韩善花、张烈、沈恩京、全素英和金东辉合影。（纽西斯）

金执导了开幕影片，该片讲述了四个独立的故事。他对电影节关注细微之处的重要性表示感谢。

“这部电影讲述的是一些细微之处的故事，着重展现其中蕴含的意义和美，”金在釜山电影中心的新闻发布会上说。“我非常荣幸和高兴能在釜山国际电影节开幕式这样享有盛誉的舞台上呈现这部电影。”

釜山国际电影节于 1996 年创办，是该国首个国际电影节，如今已发展成为亚洲首屈一指的电影盛会，成为发掘亚洲新锐导演和电影的平台。

今年的电影节是自 2019 年以来规模最大的一届，活动将持续到 10 月 15 日，在釜山的 8 家影院的 31 个银幕上放映各种类型的影片，其中 93 部影片将进行全球首映。

今年，该电影节正式获得国际电影制片人协会联合会（FIAPF）的认可，成为A级电影节，与戛纳、柏林和威尼斯等全球主要电影盛会并驾齐驱。

周二，第31届釜山国际电影节开幕当天，人们在釜山电影中心排队购买商品。（韩联社）

为了给影迷提供更多观影机会，釜山国际电影节将开幕日从周三提前至周二。由于观众人数主要集中在首周，主办方从周四至周日将每日放映场次从四场增加到五场。

今年釜山国际电影节是其正式举办竞赛的第二年，共有13部亚洲影片角逐五个奖项。评审团主席张艺谋带领七位评委评选出最终获奖者。最高奖项的获得者将有资格角逐美国奥斯卡金像奖最佳国际影片奖。

众多国际知名电影人将出席今年的釜山国际电影节。杨紫琼将荣获“亚洲年度电影人”奖，届时将特别展映她亲自挑选的三部影片，以及她的最新力作《我的时代》，以展现她独特的电影世界。釜山国际电影节前执行委员会主席金东浩将荣获“韩国电影奖”，而香港导演许鞍华将荣获“山茶花奖”。

导演阿方索·卡隆、演员兼导演玛吉·吉伦哈尔、演员伊莎贝尔·于佩尔和夏洛特·甘斯布以及导演马吉德·马吉迪、拉夫·迪亚兹和林塔罗也将出席电影节。

周二，第31届釜山国际电影节开幕当天，人们走过釜山电影中心。（韩联社）

舒淇、周迅、范冰冰、长泽雅美等亚洲明星将齐聚釜山，与影迷见面。韩国电影人及演员，包括导演李沧东、罗泓轸、金知云，以及演员全度妍、玄彬等，也将参与电影节的各项活动。

特别节目着重展现电影的各个方面。“安圣基的那些美好岁月”缅怀已故演员安圣基的传奇人生，而“日本动画特辑：疯狂杰作，振奋人心的前景 12+1”则探索日本动画的过去与现在，放映包括《白蛇传》和《大都会》在内的经典作品。

除了电影放映外，电影节还将举办重要的行业平台，讨论电影的未来，并促进全球电影和内容交易。

釜山国际电影节论坛（Forum BIFF）于周四至周日举行，旨在探讨不断变化的行业、技术和政策环境，并探索当代电影的未来发展可能性。亚洲内容及电影市场（Asian Contents and Film Market）于周六至周二举行，为亚洲电影及内容的买卖和融资提供商业平台，涵盖七大类别共64个项目，泰国作为主宾国。

釜山国际电影节社区版和釜山国际电影节无处不在版正在吸引影迷，将观众参与范围从传统影院扩展到釜山各地，包括南浦洞以及附近的梁山。