Busan:The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), a leading film festival in Asia, concluded on Thursday, drawing its largest audience in about a decade over its 10-day duration, according to the event's organizers.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the 31st edition of BIFF saw over 200,000 admissions, marking the first time since 2015 that it surpassed the 200,000 mark. Nearly 77,000 people participated in additional programs and events. This year's festival screened 315 films, including 246 official selections, the largest lineup since 2019. Of these, 94 films premiered globally at BIFF.
At the closing ceremony, hosted by Korean actor Yim Si-wan, BIFF announced the winners of the Busan Awards, judged by a seven-member jury led by Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou. Thirteen films from countries including South Korea, China, Japan, and Indonesia competed for the top prize in the main Competition section. This year, the winner of the Best Film award becomes eligible for submission to the Oscars in the Best International Feature Film category.
Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi's "Midday Meal" won the top honor with a unanimous jury decision. The film, which had its world premiere at BIFF, tells the story of Solan, a village's sole teacher, and his struggles as a school meal program is threatened with closure. Majidi dedicated the award to the people of Iran, expressing hopes for a world without war.
Other notable awards included the Special Jury Prize for Indonesian filmmaker Eddie Cahyono's "Ibuku" and Best Director for Taiwanese filmmaker Lee Yun Chan's "To Be Ordinary." The Best Actor Award was shared by China's Zhou Xun for "The First Taste of Loneliness" and Japanese actor Kashun Himeno for "Satoko Always." The sound director of "The First Taste of Loneliness," Li Danfeng, also received the Artistic Contribution Award.
This BIFF edition was the first with A-list accreditation by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations, putting it alongside festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, and Venice. The event attracted filmmakers and industry officials worldwide, including guests like Malaysian actor Michelle Yeoh, who received the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award, and Hong Kong director Ann Hui, who was honored with the Camellia Award.
Prominent attendees included Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron and American actor Maggie Gyllenhaal, making their first official visit to South Korea, as well as renowned directors Hirokazu Kore-eda and Lav Diaz, actors Charlotte Gainsbourg and Fan Bingbing, and Korean film figures such as Lee Chang-dong and actors Jeon Do-yeon and Sul Kyung-gu.
The festival also featured the Asian Contents and Film Market, attracting over 30,000 visitors and 339 companies from 32 countries, showcasing the event's significant international reach.