The 29th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) is set to kick off tonight with its opening ceremony, signaling the commencement of its exciting 10-day journey.

The opening ceremony will be hosted by actress Park Boyoung and actor Ahn Jaehong.

This year’s festival will showcase 224 officially invited films, marking an 8% increase from last year’s 209, with a total of 279 films, including 55 Community BIFF selections.

The festival will run from October 2nd to 11th, with screenings taking place on 28 screens across seven theaters, including the Busan Cinema Center, CGV Centum City, and Lotte Cinema Centum City.

Attendees can look forward to engaging in various events and programs such as Open Talks, Outdoor Greetings, and Actors’ House. The film lineup promises a blend of works by industry virtuosos and emerging filmmakers poised to lead the next generation of Asian cinema.

Produced and written by renowned director Park Chan-wook, the opening film “Uprising” features an all-star cast including Kang Dong-won, Park Jung-min, and Cha Seung-won. The film is a historical epic that tells the story of a nobleman’s son (Park Jung-min) and his servant (Kang Dong-won) who find themselves on opposite sides when a slave rebellion erupts. The BIFF Executive Committee described the film as a work of both popular appeal and artistic excellence.

The festival’s closing film will be Spirit World by Eric Khoo, the first Singaporean director to be invited to Cannes, Berlin, and Venice International Film Festivals and to receive the Order of Cultural Merit. This film, which explores the meaning of human existence and the themes of life and death, is expected to leave a profound impact on the audience.

This year’s Asian Filmmaker Award will be presented to Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa, known for his genre-defining films such as Cure and Circuit. Kurosawa will showcase two new films at the festival, including Snake’s Path.

In addition, the festival will feature a special retrospective on Portuguese filmmaker Miguel Gomes, who will present eight of his full-length films.

A tribute program titled Beautiful Person, Lee Sun-kyun will honor the late actor Lee Sun-kyun, featuring six of his representative works along with a special talk session.

Simultaneously, the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) continues to shatter its previous records with increased participation year after year.

This year, the ACFM returns with an enhanced curriculum, featuring the CHANEL X BIFF Asian Film Academy, Community BIFF, and BIFF Everywhere.

Today’s activities include:

Opening Ceremony

Hosted by Park Boyoung and Ahn Jaehong

Opening film: “Uprising” by Kim Sang Man

Opening Ceremony Schedule

17:00 – 18:00 — Spectator/Guest entry

18:00 – 19:00 — Red carpet event

19:00 – 20:00 — Official event

20:00 – Opening film screening

Fleet Chinhae

USAG Daegu