The 31st Busan International Film Festival () is being held from October 6 to October 15, 2026, at the Busan Cinema Center in Busan. Zhang Yimou, Chinese filmmaker is serving as President of the seven-member Competition jury. The opening ceremony held on October 6 was hosted by Kim Min-ha, South Korean actress, where, Michelle Yeoh, Malaysian actress was honoured with The Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award, and Ann Hui received the Camellia Award honoring her lifelong contributions to elevating women in cinema.
The opening ceremony was followed by the world premiere of 2026 South Korean romantic drama anthology film The Table: Day and Night by Kim Jong-kwan. The festival will present 316 films comprising 246 films from 59 countries, which includes 95 World Premieres, and 10 International Premieres. 69 films are planned to be screened at the Community BIFF at this year's festival.
Festival overview This section sums up the main things taking place during the festival:
'A'-list classification
The festival is classified as 'A'-list festival from 2026, joining prestigious competitive festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Locarno and San Sebastian, under the revamped accreditation process by the International Federation of Film Producers' Associations.
Oscars for Asian Cinema!
The winner of the Busan Award – Best Film Award of the festival's Competition section, has been included in a new eligibility pathway for the Academy Award for International Feature Film. As per The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revised rules, films awarded the Golden Bear for Best Film, Busan Award - Best Film Award, Palme d’Or, World Cinema Grand Jury Prize, Platform Prize and Golden Lion are eligible for consideration in the International Feature Film category without the need for official national selection.
Poster
This year's official poster also crafted by art director Choi Soon-dae encapsulates 30 years of shared passion between audiences and filmmakers. The core motif of the poster is a "group portrait," capturing the audience who attended last year's festival. The Art Director Choi said, "What has completed the film festival is always the presence of the audience filling the seats." Programme
On September 1, in a press conference full programme with guest list was announced. In this edition Isabelle Huppert, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kore-eda Hirokazu, Fan Bingbing and Michelle Yeoh will attend the festival.
Jury
Competition jury
The festival announced seven Jury members for the Competition section on September 17, presided over by Zhang Yimou.
Zhang Yimou, Chinese filmmaker. A leading figure of China's Fifth Generation directors, (President of jury) Choi Hee-seo, South Korean actress Bi Gan, Chinese film director, screenwriter, poet, and photographer. Samal Yeslyamova, Kazakhstani actor Kei Ishikawa, Japanese director and writer Jung Joo-ri, South Korean film director and screenwrite Tran Thi Bich Ngoc, Vietnamese producer, Project Market and Talent Project at the Da Nang Asian Film Festival
Major awards
The festival announced Jury members for the major awards on September 16, 2026.
Documentary Competition – BIFF Mecenat Award Jury
Rintu Thomas, Academy Award nominated documentary filmmaker and director-producer from India Kim Taeil, director, cinematographer and editor Zhou Hao, former journalist
Korean, Asian Short Film Competition – Sonje Award Jury
Anuparna Roy, Indian film director and screenwriter Abinash Bikram Shah, Nepalese director, writer and producer Lee Ran-hee, South Korean director and screenwriter
Vision - Asia – NETPAC Award Jury
Nina Kochelyaeva, documentary filmmaker and programmer Matthew Poon, Senior Project Manager, HKIFF Industry Lee Dongha, Chairperson of the Producers Guild of Korea
Vision - Asia – FIPRESCI Award Jury
Ma Xingxu, film critic and editor Teresa Vena, journalist and curator across art and film Roh Chul-hwan, professor of Theater and Film Studies at Inha University
New Currents Award Jury The New Currents Award jury selects one debut film by a new director and awards a prize of ₩20 million.
Rima Das, Indian filmmaker Shan Zuolong, Chinese film producer Shim Eun-kyung, South Korean actress
Actor of the Year Award
Yoo Yeon-seok, South Korean actor Go Ah-sung, South Korean actress
DGK PLUS M Award Kim Mi-jo, South Korean director Kim Yong-wan, South Korean director Shin Joon, South Korean film director
KBS Independent Film Award Nam Daeun, South Korean critic Shin Yeon-shick, South Korean film director and screenwriter Lee Ji-won, South Korean film director
Critic b Award Go Min-gyu, South Korean Critic Kim Min-woo, South Korean Critic Hong Eun-mi, South Korean Critic
K-Movie Award Lee Won-jae, Vice President of K-MOVIE ENTERTAINMENT Billy Acumen, CEO of B.A. Entertainment Jeon Hye-jung, festival director of London East Asia Film Festival
NETPAC
Matthew Poon, Senior Project Manager, HKIFF Industry Nina Kochekyaeva, Head of Department for the Development and Approbation of Film Education Methods at VGIK Lee Dong-ha, CEO of REDPETER FILMS, Chairperson of the Producers Guild of Korea(PGK)
FIPRESCI
Ma Xingxu, Chinese critic Roh Chul-hwan, professor at Inha University. Teresa Vena, Swiss film critic
Screening venues Busan Cinema Center, Centum City, Busan, South Korea CJ CGV, Centum City Lotte Cinema Centum City, Haeundae-gu, Busan KOFIC Theater Sohyang Theater, Woori Bank Hall Busan Community Media Center Open Hall Community BIFF: MEGABOX Busan Theater, Busan Catholic Center, Space 101.1
Events Actors House
In this edition the following actors will share unknown behind-the-scenes stories and their future plans with the audience:
Kim Go-eun, South Korean actress Kim Min-ha, South Korean actress Shin Min-a, South Korean actress Ryu Seung-ryong, South Korean actor Lee Min-ho, South Korean actor and singer Ju Ji-hoon, South Korean actor and model
Talk-to-Talk Scene Stealers: Steal the Spotlight
The actors will share their work, creative process, their journey as performers, and the behind-the-scenes effort that goes into creating a single unforgettable moment on the screen:
Kim Gook-hee Kim Jae-chul Gong Min-jeung, South Korean actress Park Ji-yeon Im Seong-jae Kim Jun-han
Master class A lecture program that offers an in-depth look into the film philosophies and creative experiences of world-renowned following filmmakers: Na Hong-jin, South Korean director Lav Diaz, Filipino filmmaker, actor, and former film critic Bertrand Mandico, French film director and screenwriter Rintaro, Japanese anime director
Cine Class Audiences will meet the following creators and experts up close:
Zhang Lü, is a Korean Chinese filmmaker Seifollah Samadian, Iranian photographer Judith Godrèche, French actress, author and feminist activist Billy Acumen, film producer Bi Gan, Chinese film director, screenwriter, poet, and photographer Shim Eun-kyung, South Korean actress Charlotte Gainsbourg, Muse of French Chic: French screen icon and musician Charlotte Gainsbourg will talk about her four-decade career across cinema, fashion, and music on October 8.
Special Talk: In-Depth Conversations with Guests A dialogue program held alongside film screenings, where following directors, and actors, discuss the significance and behind-the-scenes stories of their works:
Kim Tae-ho, South Korean television director Ann Hui, Hong Kong filmmaker and actress Jung Sung-il, South Korean actor Special Talk of Charlotte Gainsbourg with Jung Eun-chae: Following the screening of 2011 science fiction drama film Melancholia by Lars von Trier on October 8, Charlotte Gainsbourg, the star of the film will talk with South Korean actress Jung Eun-chae and discuss behind-the-scenes stories of Melancholia. Jung had worked with Gainsbourg's late mother, Jane Birkin, in Hong Sang-soo's 2013 film Nobody's Daughter Haewon.
Opening and closing ceremony
The opening ceremony of the festival hosted by actress Kim Min-ha was held on October 6, at the Busan Cinema Center Outdoor Theater in Haeundae. Chinese actress Fan Bingbing and Japanese directors Koji Fukada and Hirokazu Koreeda, French actor and musician Charlotte Gainsbourg, Mexican filmmakers Alfonso Cuarón, and his son Jonás Cuarón attended the red carpet. The Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award was presented to Michelle Yeoh, while Ann Hui received the Camellia Award for her contribution to advancing women in cinema. The Korean Cinema Award went to BIFF founder Kim Dong-ho.
The opening ceremony concluded with the introduction of the seven-member Competition jury, chaired by Zhang Yimou and featuring Choi Hee-seo, Bi Gan, Samal Yeslyamova, Kei Ishikawa, July Jung, and Tran Thi Bich Ngoc.
Closing ceremony
Yim Si-wan will host the closing ceremony on October 15, 2026.
Program sections The programme for the festival was announced on September 1, with competition section featuring 14 films from Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Iran, Uzbekistan, and Indonesia.
The following sections will be there in the edition: Competition Gala Presentation Icons Vision A Window on Asian Cinema Korean Cinema Today - Special Premiere Korean Cinema Today - Panorama World Cinema Flash Forward Wide Angle Open Cinema Midnight Passion On Screen Special Program in Focus ‘Those Beautiful Years, Ahn Sung-ki’ 'Carte Blanche' Everything Everywhere All for Michelle Japanese Animation Special: Masterpieces of Madness, Exhilarating Prospects 12+1 Special Screening
Opening film English title Original title Director(s) Production country(ies) The Table: Day and Night 낮과 밤은 서로에게 Kim Jong-kwan South Korea
Competition
The competition section of the festival features 13 Asian films selected for their artistic merit and regional significance.
English title Original title Director(s) Production country(ies) Beach Fictions 그날의 태주 Lim Ha-yeon South Korea Between Two Lovers このごにおよんで愛など Nanako Hirose Japan The Day After Sunday 日曜のあと Takuya Kato Japan The First Taste of Loneliness 初次尝到寂寞 Gu You China Hilol Ҳилол Botir Abdurakhmanov Uzbekistan Long Long Night 긴긴밤 Youm Kyu-bock South Korea Midday Meal غذای نیمروز Majid Majidi Iran My Mother IBUKU Eddie Cahyono Indonesia, Japan Satoko Always さとこはいつも Shuichi Okita Japan The Sea Speaks His Name Laut Bercerita Yosep Anggi Noen Indonesia Shaving 면도 Kim Jung-hoon South Korea silver express シルバー・エクスプレス Miki Tanaka Japan To Be Ordinary 有用的人 Lee Yun-chan Taiwan
Gala Presentation In this section five films will be presented by their directors and casts, attending the presentation.
English title Original title Director(s) Production country(ies)All About Corinne Ni vue, ni connueMarc FitoussiFrance, BelgiumDoraJuly JungSouth Korea, France, LuxembourgA Girl's StoryJudith GodrècheFrance It's My Time 魔方小姐 Bai Xue ChinaLook BackルックバックHirokazu Kore-edaJapan Paradise Lost 실낙원 Yeon Sang-ho South Korea
Icons This section showcases 35 latest works by veteran filmmakers.