Busan International Film Festival

Annual film festival held in Busan, South Korea

The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), formerly the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF), held annually in Haeundae gu, Busan (also Pusan), South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. The first festival, held from 13 to 21 September 1996, was also the first international film festival in Korea. The main focus of the BIFF is to introduce new films and first time directors, especially those from Asian countries. Another notable feature is the appeal of the festival to young people, both in terms of the large youthful audience it attracts and through its efforts to develop and promote young talent. In 1999, the Pusan Promotion Plan (renamed Asian Project Market in 2011) was established to connect new directors to funding sources. The 16th BIFF in 2011 saw the festival move to a new permanent home, the Busan Cinema Center in Centum City.

Asian Film Market: Launched in 2006 as a marketplace for the industry events at the Busan International Film Festival. Asian Project Market (former PPP: Pusan Promotion Plan) is a pre market. Asian Cinema Fund: The Asian Cinema Fund is a funding program to help activate more independent film productions and to set up a stable production environment. It supports projects in various stages and categories. The 900 million won (approximately US$900,000) Asian Cinema Fund will be used to provide support to seven projects in script development, five post productions, and thirteen documentary films. The Script Development Fund is aimed at helping screenwriters complete their scripts. The Post Production Fund is made possible through the support of Korean post production companies and the Korean Film Council. With this fund, the director is invited to Korea to work on sound and DI with Korean post production houses. It will help the director complete his or her film in 35mm. The Asian Network of Documentary Fund was initiated in 2002 and sponsored by six universities and corporations in the Busan region. As a part of the Busan International Film Festival, and holds master classes and clinics to stabilise the environment for documentary productions. Asian Film Academy (AFA) is an educational program where prospective filmmakers and established directors from Asia gather to deliberate and prepare for the future of Asian cinema. Busan Cinema Forum (BCF) is an academic event for filmmakers and scholars, launched on 10 October 2011. It aims to enhance the knowledge and support of the film industry and film aesthetics.

The Asian Filmmaker of the Year(올해의 아시아영화인상) is granted to the Asian filmmaker who has made the most significant contribution to the advancement of Asian film industry and culture throughout the year. No. Year Name Country/Region 8 2003 Mohsen Makhmalbaf Iran 9 2004 Hou Hsiao hsien Taiwan 10 2005 NHK Japan 11 2006 Andy Lau Hong Kong 12 2007 Edward Yang (1947–2007) Taiwan 13 2008 Gulnara Sarsenova Kazakhstan 14 2009 Yash Chopra India 15 2010 Tsai Ming liang Taiwan 16 2011 Tsui Hark Hong Kong 17 2012 Kōji Wakamatsu Japan 18 2013 Rithy Panh Cambodia 19 2014 Ann Hui Hong Kong 20 2015 Studio Ghibli Japan 21 2016 Abbas Kiarostami Iran 22 2017 Seijun Suzuki Japan 23 2018 Ryuichi Sakamoto Japan 24 2019 Hirokazu Kore eda Japan 26 2021 Im Kwon taek South Korea 27 2022 Tony Leung Hong Kong, China 28 2023 Chow Yun fat Hong Kong

CGV Award(CGV상) was newly created in 2011 in collaboration with CJ CGV to shed new light on the Korean Cinema Today Vision section. The winner will receive a cash prize of KRW 10,000,000 sponsored by CJ CGV. No. Year Film Director Country Movie Collage Award 16 2011 The King of Pigs Yeon Sang ho South Korea Renamed as CGV Movie Collage Award 17 2012 Jiseul O Muel South Korea 18 2013 Han Gong ju Lee Su jin South Korea 19 2014 A Matter of Interpretation Lee Kwang kuk South Korea Renamed as CGV Arthouse Award 20 2015 Eyelids O Muel South Korea 21 2016 Jane Cho Hyun hoon South Korea 22 2017 Microhabitat Jeon Go woon South Korea 23 2018 Maggie Yi Ok seop South Korea 24 2019 Lucky Chan sil Kim Cho hee South Korea 25 2020 Good Person Jung Wook South Korea 26 2021 Chorokbam Yoon Seo jin South Korea Renamed as CGV Award 27 2022 Greenhouse Lee Sol hui South Korea 28 2023 Concerning My Daughter Lee Mi rang South Korea

The KBS Independent Film Award(KBS독립영화상) is given to support Korean independent films. One Korean film will be selected among Korean Cinema Today Vision and New Currents section to receive KRW 10,000,000. This cash prize is sponsored by Korean Broadcasting System. No. Year Film Director Country 23 2018 Maggie Yi Ok seop South Korea 24 2019 Lucky Chan sil Kim Cho hee South Korea 25 2020 LIMECRIME Lee Seunghwan, Yoo Jaewook South Korea 26 2021 Hot in Day, Cold at Night Park Song yeol South Korea 27 2022 a Wild Roomer Lee Jeong hong South Korea 28 2023 House of the Seasons Oh Jung min South Korea

The CGK Award(CGK촬영상), sponsored by Cinematographers Guild of Korea, is given to one Korean film from either New Currents or Korean Cinema Today Vision section. The winner’s cinematographer will be granted KRW 5,000,000. No. Year Film Cinematographer Country CGK&SamyangXEEN Award 24 2019 Kyungmi’s World Kim Gilja South Korea 25 2020 Snowball Lee Jae u South Korea Renamed as CGK Award 26 2021 Chorokbam Choo Kyeong yeob South Korea 27 2022 Hail to Hell Jung Grim South Korea 28 2023 House of the Seasons Lee Jinkeun South Korea

Critic b Award(크리틱b상) is given to one film chosen by Busan Film Critics Association among the selections in the New Currents and the Korean Cinema Today Vision section. The winner will receive KRW 10,000,000. No. Year Film Director Country 26 2021 Hot in Day, Cold at Night Park Song yeol South Korea 27 2022 a Wild Roomer Lee Jeong hong South Korea 28 2023 Last Summer Choi Seung woo South Korea

Watcha Short Award(왓챠단편상) is established to support short film directors in Korean cinema. Two short films chosen from Wide Angle Korean Short Competition section will be given a cash prize of KRW 5,000,000. This cash prize is sponsored by Watcha. No. Year Film Director Country 27 2022 Other Life Roh Dohyeon South Korea 28 2023 MYDEAR Jeon Do hee, Kim So hee South Korea KARMA Choi Soo hyuk South Korea

Aurora Media Award(오로라미디어상) is established to support new directors in Korean cinema. Two Korean films chosen from the New Currents and the Korean Cinema Today Vision section will be given a cash prize of KRW 10,000,000 respectively. This cash prize is sponsored by Aurora Media. No. Year Film Director Country27 2022 Greenhouse Lee Sol hui South Korea Big Sleep Kim Taehoon South Korea28 2023 House of the Seasons Oh Jung min South Korea FAQ Kim Da min South Korea

Citizen critics from the Busan Cinematheque choose the best film from those screened in Korean Cinema Today Vision section. Citizen Critics' Award(시민평론가상) is awarded KRW 10,000,000 for supporting the director’s next production. No. Year Film Director Country 16 2011 Romance Joe Lee Kwang kuk South Korea 17 2012 Jiseul O Muel South Korea18 2013 Han Gong ju Lee Su jin South Korea Shuttlecock Lee Yu bin South Korea 19 2014 Set Me Free Kim Tae yong South Korea 20 2015 ALONE Park Hong min South Korea 21 2016 Jamsil Lee Wan min South Korea 22 2017 Possible Faces Lee Kang hyun South Korea 23 2018 Maggie Yi Ok seop South Korea 24 2019 Moving On Yoon Dan bi South Korea 26 2021 Chorokbam Yoon Seo jin South Korea 27 2022 Birth Yoo Ji young South Korea 28 2023 The Berefts Jung Beom, Heo Jang South Korea

Busan Cinephile Award(부산시네필상) is given to the best Korean and Asian documentary film presented in the Wide Angle documentary showcase section. The winner is awarded KRW 5,000,000. The jury of college students, including numerous students from the cinema related departments of six universities in Busan region, select the winner. No. Year Film Director Country 16 2011 The Twin Gustav Danielsson Sweden 17 2012 5 Broken Cameras Emad Burnat, Guy Davidi Palestine/Israel/ France/Netherlands 18 2013 Father’s Garden – The Love of My Parents Peter Liechti Switzerland 19 2014 The Look of Silence Joshua Oppenheimer Denmark 20 2015 The Other Side Roberto Minervini Italy/France 21 2016 The Apology Tiffany Hsiung Canada 22 2017 A Free Man Andreas Hartmann Germany/Japan 23 2018 Bruce Lee and the Outlaw Joost Vandebrug United Kingdom/Netherlands/ Czech Republic 24 2019 Que Sea Ley (Let It Be Law) Juan Diego Solanas France/Argentina/Uruguay 26 2021 I′m So Sorry Zhao Liang Hong Kong/France/Netherlands 27 2022 While We Watched Vinay Shukla United Kingdom 28 2023 Yellow Door: ′90s Lo fi Film Club Lee Hyuk rae South Korea