The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF, previously 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.[1] 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.[2][3]
History
1st Busan International Film Festival, 13–21 September 1996
Opening Film: Septet: The Story of Hong Kong - Johnnie To, Ringo Lam, Hark Tsui, Sammo Hung, Ann Hui, Patrick Tam Yuen, Wo Ping, Hong Kong, China/China
Closing Film: Josee, the Tiger and the Fish - Tamura Kotaro, Japan
The Busan International Film Festival is organised in various sections:
Gala Presentation: Gala Presentation screens new master cineastes, films, and premieres.
A Window on Asian Cinema: A showcase of new and/or representative films by Asian filmmakers.
New Currents: The only international competition section featuring the first or the second feature films by future directors of Asian cinema.
Korean Cinema Today: Selected Korean feature films are shown in two sub-sections, Panorama and Vision. These two sub-sections recognise the current production trend of Korean cinema and anticipate its future.
Korean Cinema Retrospective: Revisiting the history of Korean cinema by spotlighting films of a certain notable director or films with a significant theme.
World Cinema: Presentation of new works by filmmakers along with films that help understanding the recent trends in world cinema.
Wide Angle: A section showing short films, animation, documentaries, and experimental films.
Open Cinema: outdoor screening venue where a collection of new films, combining both art and mass popularity, are shown.
Flash Forward: This section is a collection of first or second films of up-and-coming filmmakers from non-Asian countries.
Midnight Passion: films of diverse genres.
Special Programs in Focus: A retrospective and special showcase of films of a certain notable director or genre.
Official divisions
Asian Film MarketPPP(Pusan Promotion Plan) meeting
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.
Asian Film Academy
Busan Cinema Forum (BCF) is an academic event for filmmakers and scholars, launched on 10 October 2011.[10] It aims to enhance the knowledge and support of the film industry and film aesthetics.
Awards
A number of awards are handed out each year, including:
Asian Filmmaker of the Year
Tsai Ming-liang, Asian Filmmaker of the Year, Pusan International Film Festival 2010
BIFF Mecenat Award(비프메세나상) is granted to the best documentary from Korea and Asia in Wide Angle competitive section. The winner will be granted KRW 10,000,000(approx. USD 8,500) with the purpose of assisting their next production.
Sonje Award(선재상) is given to the best Korean and Asian short films in the Wide Angle section, to assist them in producing next project by providing KRW 10,000,000(approx. USD 8,500) to each director.
KNN Award (Audience Award) was awarded by the KNN Foundation to a film from the New Currents section selected by audiences with a $20,000 award for the director. It was renamed as KB New Currents Audience Award(KB 뉴 커런츠 관객상).
The NETPAC Award(아시아영화진흥기구상) is given to the best film selected by the NETPAC(The Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) jury among the films screened in the New Currents section.
DGK Megabox Award(한국영화감독조합 메가박스상) Boycotted by the Director's Guild of Korea in 2016 and 2017, the award was reinstated in 2018.[22]
Newly created in 2016, this award is given to two promising directors of newly produced independent films in the Korean Cinema Today-Vision section, who have shown the most outstanding production skills. The winner gets a cash prize reward of US$5,000 sponsored by MEGABOX.
The CGK Award(CGK촬영상), sponsored by Cinematographers Guild of Korea, is given to one Korean film from either New Currents or Korean Cinema Today - Vision section. The winner’s cinematographer will be granted KRW 5,000,000 (approx. USD 4,300).
No.
Year
Film
Cinematographer
Country
CGK&SamyangXEEN Award
24
2019
Kyungmi’s World
Kim Gilja
South Korea
25
2020
Snowball
Lee Jae-u
South Korea
Renamed as CGK Award
26
2021
Chorokbam
Choo Kyeong-yeob
South Korea
27
2022
Hail to Hell
Jung Grim
South Korea
Critic b Award
Critic b Award(크리틱b상) is given to one film chosen by Busan Film Critics Association among the selections in New Currents and Korean Cinema Today_Vision. The winner receives a cash prize of ₩10 million (approx. 8,500 US$) sponsored by Philip Morris Korea Inc.
Watcha Award(왓챠상) is established in 2021, the 26th edition of festival, to support new directors in Korean cinema. Two Korean films chosen from 'New Currents' and 'Korean Cinema Today-Vision' are given a cash prize of ₩10 million (approx. 8,500 US$) respectively, sponsored by Watcha.[24]
Citizen Critics' Award(시민평론가상). The winner is awarded KRW 10,000,000 (approx. USD 8,500) for supporting the director’s next production. This cash prize is sponsored by Philip Morris Korea Inc.
^Choi Young-joo (15 September 2021). "[현장EN:]부국제, 정상 개최 예고…"100% 극장 상영·개막식 진행"" [[On-site EN:] Bu-Kukje, the summit announcement… "100% theater screening and opening ceremony"]. CBS Nocut News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
^Kim Ji-eun (15 October 2021). "[26th BIFF]열흘간 7만6072명…감염 사례는 1건(종합)" [[26th BIFF] 76,072 people in 10 days… 1 case of infection (total)]. Newsis (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
^Kang Min-kyung (8 August 2022). ""3년만 정상 개최" 제27회 부산국제영화제, 공식 포스터 공개" [The 27th Busan International Film Festival, Official Poster Released, "The first summit in three years"]. Ten Asia (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
^Park Mi-ae (15 September 2021). "임권택 감독 아시아영화인상, 故이춘연 대표 한국영화공로상" [Director Im Kwon-taek's Asian Film Award, the late Chun-yeon Lee's Korean Film Achievement Award]. Edaily Star (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
^"Awards". Busan International Film Festival. Archived from the original on 20 June 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
^Han Mi-hee (15 October 2021). "부산영화제 뉴커런츠상에 '안녕, 내고향'·'같은 속옷을…'(종합)" [Pusan Film Festival New Currents Award for 'Hello, Hometown' and 'Same underwear... '(Synthesis)]. Yonhap News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
^Shin Jae-woo (17 September 2021). "왓챠 박태훈 대표 "부산국제영화제 '왓챠상' 신설…독립영화 발굴"" [Watcha CEO Park Tae-hoon "Busan International Film Festival's 'Watcha Award' is newly established...Independent film discovery"]. Newsis (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
