Busan International Film Festival Gains Oscar-Qualifying Status

The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has gained two major boosts to its global standing. In March, the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) granted it A-list status, placing it alongside Cannes, Berlin, and Venice. Then in May, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that BIFF's top prize winner will automatically qualify for submission to the Oscars Best International Feature Film category. BIFF is the only Asian festival among the six designated for this Oscar pathway, which also includes Sundance and Toronto.

Competition Section Growth

BIFF introduced a fully-fledged competition section for the first time last year. Festival Executive Director Jung Han-seok says the FIAPF recognition and the Academy pathway have helped build confidence in it. "These developments are already having a positive effect on both the number and quality of submissions to the festival," Jung said. The quality and range of submissions have improved dramatically after the first year. The festival's main priority is the stability and consolidation of this new section, with no plans to expand beyond the current 14 films.

The competition awards films in six categories: Best Film, Best Director, Special Jury Award, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Artistic Contribution Award. Jung states the sole selection criteria is the quality of each individual film. BIFF intends to remain grounded in an Asian perspective while questioning what 'Asian' means in the competition context. The festival is also launching its first special program devoted to animation this year.

This Year’s Lineup and Honours

Fourteen films are vying for BIFF’s top prize, the Busan Award for Best Film. The lineup forms a compelling landscape of contemporary Asian cinema, with entries from China, Taiwan, Japan, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, and Iran.

Chinese director Zhang Yimou, who has won top prizes at Berlin, Venice, and Cannes, heads the seven-person jury. Notable attendees include Iranian director Majid Majidi, Japanese anime master Rintaro, and Alfonso Cuarón. The new animation program focuses on Japanese works, featuring a 13-film lineup of features and shorts.

Festival Expansion and Attendance

BIFF is screening 246 films this year, its largest lineup since 2019 and five more than last year. The festival opened one day earlier than usual and has increased screenings on high-attendance days from Thursday through Sunday. Online bookings suggest total attendance could surpass last year's figures. Jung Han-seok noted, "The fact that cinema attendance is increasing compared with last year suggests that there are encouraging signs of recovery."

Filmmaker interest has risen in China, where A-list festival invitations can increase chances for public support. Key industry figures in Japan have also become more proactive toward BIFF’s competition. The Gala Presentation section is showing six titles, including works by Hirokazu Kore-eda and Yeon Sang-ho. The Icons section features 16 titles from directors like Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Pedro Almodóvar.

The On Screen section will world premiere initial episodes from Netflix’s The Blue Road and Dead-End Job, and Disney’s The Remarried Empress. BIFF’s Open Cinema section offers eight free, open-air screenings, including Look Back and Inherit. The festival continues to question what 'Asian' means in the competition context while building from that grounded perspective.