(LEAD) Busan film fest kicks off with 'A-list' status for 1st time

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(ATTN: UPDATES with details, photos throughout) By Lee Minji

BUSAN, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) began its 10-day run Tuesday, with the festival seeking to bolster its global presence with its first "A-list" accreditation by a prominent global organization of filmmakers.

The opening ceremony took place at the Busan Cinema Center in the southeastern city of Busan, with renowned directors and actors from Korea and abroad walking the red carpet and meeting fans.

The 31st edition will run through Oct. 15 with 247 official selections from 59 nations, which marks the biggest slate since 2019, according to organizers. Of the total, 95 films will have their world premieres at BIFF.

It marks the first time the event is taking place after the International Federation of Film Producers Associations selected BIFF as one of its 17 A-list festivals, alongside prestigious film fests, such as Cannes, Berlin and Venice.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has also added BIFF to the list of six film fests where the top winner of the Busan Award will be eligible for submission to the Oscars in the Best International Feature Film category.

The director and cast of "The Table: Day and Night," the opening film of the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), walk the red carpet at the opening ceremony held at the Busan Cinema Center in the southeastern city of Busan on Oct. 6, 2026. (Yonhap)

A seven-member jury, led by Chinese auteur Zhang Yimou, will choose the winners for the Busan Award among 14 films shortlisted for the Competition section that was first introduced last year.

Films nominated include those from South Korea, Japan, China, Indonesia, Iran, Taiwan and Uzbekistan.

For Korean film buffs, director Kim Jong-kwan's "The Table: Day and Night" opened the festival. July Chung's coming-of-age film "Dora" and "Still Shining," which marks veteran actor Kim Hye-ja's return to the big screen after nine years, are among films not to miss.

Korean filmmakers and actors will attend a range of events from open talks to "Actors' House" conversations with audiences, including director Lee Chang-dong and the cast of the Venice-winning "Possible Love," as well as Kim Go-eun, Kim Min-ha and Shin Min-a.

The opening ceremony of the 31st edition of the Busan International Film Festival takes place at the Busan Cinema Center in the southeastern city of Busan on Oct. 6, 2026. (Yonhap)

Also visiting Busan will be iconic filmmakers and actors from abroad, including Maggie Gyllenhaal, Isabelle Huppert, Zhou Xun and Fan Bingbing. Renowned filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron, known for his award-winning works "Gravity" (2013) and "Roma" (2018), will make his first-ever visit to the country.

As a film festival dedicated to highlighting Asian cinema, BIFF presented this year's Asian Filmmaker of Year award to Michelle Yeoh, the first Asian to win the Academy Award for Best Actress, at the opening ceremony.

The Camellia Award went to Hong Kong director Ann Hui for her lifelong contributions to empowering women in the film industry. Both Yeoh and Hui attended the ceremony in person.

Alongside film screenings and events, the Asian Contents and Film Market for film investors and distributors will run from Saturday through Tuesday next week, according to organizers.

Director Lee Chang-dong and actors Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Cho Yeo-jeong and Zo In-sung (from R to L) attend the red carpet event at the opening ceremony of the 31st edition of the Busan International Film Festival, held at the Busan Cinema Center in the southeastern city of Busan on Oct. 6, 2026. (Yonhap)

mlee@yna.co.kr (END)

BIFF names Chinese auteur Zhang Yimou as Competition jury chief

Actor Yim Si-wan to host BIFF closing ceremony

BIFF taps 'The Table: Day and Night' as opening film

Hong Kong filmmaker Ann Hui to be honored at BIFF

Michelle Yeoh named 'Asian filmmaker of year' at BIFF

(LEAD) Busan film fest kicks off with 'A-list' status for 1st time

这将使谷歌能够向您展示与您的搜索匹配或相关的韩联社新闻文章

（注意：本文将持续更新细节及图片）李敏智报道

釜山，10 月 6 日（韩联社）——釜山国际电影节（BIFF）于周二开幕，为期 10 天。该电影节希望通过获得一家著名的全球电影人组织的首个“A 级”认证来加强其全球影响力。

开幕式在韩国东南部城市釜山的釜山电影中心举行，来自韩国和海外的著名导演和演员走上红毯，与粉丝见面。

第31届釜山国际电影节将持续至10月15日，届时将有来自59个国家的247部影片入选，据主办方称，这是自2019年以来规模最大的一届。其中，95部影片将在釜山国际电影节上进行全球首映。

这是国际电影制片人协会联合会将釜山国际电影节评选为 17 个顶级电影节之一后，该活动首次举办。其他顶级电影节包括戛纳电影节、柏林电影节和威尼斯电影节。

美国电影艺术与科学学院已将釜山国际电影节（BIFF）列入六个电影节的名单，釜山电影奖的最高获奖影片将有资格角逐奥斯卡最佳国际影片奖。

2026年10月6日，第31届釜山国际电影节（BIFF）开幕影片《餐桌：日与夜》的导演和演员们在釜山电影中心举行的开幕式上走上红毯。（韩联社）

由中国电影大师张艺谋领衔的七人评审团将从去年首次设立的竞赛单元入围的 14 部影片中选出釜山电影奖的获奖者。

获得提名的影片来自韩国、日本、中国、印度尼西亚、伊朗、台湾和乌兹别克斯坦。

对于韩国影迷来说，金钟冠导演的《餐桌：日与夜》为电影节拉开了帷幕。郑朱莉执导的成长题材电影《朵拉》以及金惠子时隔九年重返大银幕的《依然闪耀》也是不容错过的佳作。

韩国电影制作人和演员将出席一系列活动，包括公开讲座和与观众的“演员之家”对话，其中包括导演李沧东和威尼斯电影节获奖影片《可能的爱》的演员阵容，以及金高银、金敏荷和申敏儿。

第31届釜山国际电影节开幕式将于2026年10月6日在韩国东南部城市釜山的釜山电影中心举行。（韩联社）

此外，来自海外的知名电影人和演员也将到访釜山，包括玛吉·吉伦哈尔、伊莎贝尔·于佩尔、周迅和范冰冰。曾执导过获奖影片《地心引力》（2013）和《罗马》（2018）的著名导演阿方索·卡隆将首次访问韩国。

作为致力于推广亚洲电影的电影节，釜山国际电影节在开幕式上将今年的“年度亚洲电影人”奖颁给了杨紫琼，她是第一位获得奥斯卡最佳女主角奖的亚洲人。

山茶花奖授予香港导演许鞍华，以表彰她毕生致力于提升女性在电影行业地位所做出的贡献。杨紫琼和许鞍华均亲临颁奖典礼现场。

据主办方称，除了电影放映和相关活动外，面向电影投资者和发行商的亚洲内容及电影市场将于下周六至周二举行。

2026年10月6日，在韩国东南部城市釜山的釜山电影中心举行的第31届釜山国际电影节开幕式上，导演李沧东携演员全度妍、薛景求、赵汝贞、赵寅成（从右至左）出席红毯活动。（韩联社）

mlee@yna.co.kr (完)

釜山国际电影节任命中国导演张艺谋为竞赛单元评委会主席

演员严时完将主持釜山国际电影节闭幕式

釜山国际电影节选定《餐桌：日与夜》作为开幕影片

香港电影人许鞍华将在釜山国际电影节获颁荣誉。

杨紫琼在釜山国际电影节上荣获“年度亚洲电影人”称号

（导语）釜山电影节首次以“A级”规格开幕