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Busan International Film Festival (BIFF)


Official Website	http://www.biff.kr
Dates	Sep 17, 2025 ~ Sep 26, 2025
Category	Competitive
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Busan International Film Festival is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. After its establishment in 1996, BIFF has focused on introducing and supporting new Asian directors and their films. BIFF is a non-competitive festival but it also operates a competitive program. In 1998, BIFF launched Asian Project Market (APM, former Pusan Promotion Plan/PPP) followed by Asian Film Market in 2006.

City

Busan

Program

Gala Presentation

Special screenings of the latest films from influential filmmakers and actors.

Icons

A showcase of the latests works from iconic filmmakers from around the world.

Jiseok

A competition section for established Asian filmmakers with three or more feature films. The award was created in commemoration of the late Kim Jiseok, program director who devoted his life to nurture and support Asian cinema.

A Window on Asian Cinema

A selection of some of the best Asian films of the year.

New Currents

A competition of first or second feature films from emerging Asian directors.

Korean Cinema Today

A showcase of the best Korean films of the last year, divided into two subsections: Panorama for commercial blockbusters and independent/arthouse favorites, and Vision for new films from debuting Korean directors.

World Cinema

A selection of prominent non-Asian feature films coming from well-know filmmakers or that received awards from international film festivals.

Flash Forward

A competition of first or second features from non-Asian emerging directors.

Wide Angle

A section that regroups the Korean Short Film Competition, the Asian Short Film Competition and the Documentary Competition, as well as the Documentary Showcase section.

Open Cinema

A diverse selection of this year's much-anticipated titles that are screened at the outdoor theater of the Busan Cinema Center

Midnight Passion

A collection of thrillers, horror and action films that are certain to keep diehard genre fans awake throughout the night.

Special Program in Focus

Different retrospectives and special showcase highlighting a filmmaker, a country, or films revolving around a specific topic.

On Screen

Presentation of highly anticipated TV series and shows that marked the previous year.

Awards

New Currents Award

New Currents Award is given to the two best feature films selected from the first or second feature of new Asian directors in competition in the New Currents section. A prize money of USD 30,000 is awarded to each film. The jury consists of world-renowned film experts who will choose winners to discover and encourage the hidden jewels of Asian cinema.

KIM Jiseok Award

Named after the late Kim Jiseok who devoted his whole life to discovering young Asian directors and supporting the growth of Asian cinema, this prize is bestowed to two films from up-and-coming directors, with a prize money of USD 10,000 each sponsored by BIFF Supporters Associaton.

BIFF Mecenat Award

BIFF Mecenat Award is granted to the best documentary from Korea and Asia screened as part of the Wide Angle section. The winner will be granted a cash prize of KRW 10,000,000 (approx. USD 7,600) for their next production.

Sonje Award

Sonje Award is given to the best Korean and Asian short films in the Wide Angle section, with KRW 10,000,000 (approx. USD7,600) provided to each director for the production of their next project.

Actor & Actress of the Year

Actor & Actress of the Year are two awards bestowed to debuting actors who appear in independent Korean films selected for the New Currents and Korean Cinema Today Vision sections. A jury composed of recognized Korean actors selects two performers with outstanding performance. The winners receive each a cash prize of 5,000,000 KRW (aprox. 3,800 USD) each.

Korean Cinema Award

The Korean Cinema Award is presented to cineastes that have made a notable contribution in the globalization of Korean cinema.

Choon-yun Award

The Choon-yun Award was established in honor of the late Chairman of the Korean Association of Film Art & Industry, Lee Choon-yun. This award is given to one newly emerging producer with a cash prize of 10,000,000 KRW, sponsored by IOK Company.

KB New Currents Audience Award

This award is given to the film from the New Currents section that receives the highest average rating from the festival audience. A cash prize of KRW 20,000,000 (approx. USD 15,000) is awarded to the director.

Flash Forward Audience Award

This award is given to the film from Flash Forward section that receives the highest average rating from the festival audience. A cash prize of KRW 10,000,000 (approx. USD 7,600) is awarded to the director.

FIPRESCI Award

The FIPRESCI Award (Prize of the International Federation of Film Critics) is awarded to the title in the New Currents section that best embodies the experimental and progressive spirit of the section.

NETPAC Award

The NETPAC (The Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) Award is given to the year's best film screened in the New Currents section. NETPAC is an international organization founded in 1990 devoted to the promotion and development of Asian film distribution and exhibition.

LG OLED New Currents Award

The LG OLED New Currents Award is given to an Asian feature film in the New Currents section, that demonstrates an innovation in visual aesthetics. The award recipient will be chosen by the New Currents jurors, and will be granted prizes sponsored by LG OLED including KRW 30,000,000 (approx. USD 22,500) cash award.

LG OLED Vision Award

The LG OLED Vision Award is given to one Korean film in the Korean Cinema Today - Vision and New Currents section, that demonstrates an innovation in visual aesthetics. The award recipient will be granted prizes sponsored by LG OLED including KRW 30,000,000 (approx. USD 22,500) cash award.

DGK PLUS M Award

The DGK PLUS M Award goes to two Korean films from the Korean Cinema Today - Vision section. Each winner will be granted KRW 5,000,000 (approx. USD 3,800). This cash prize is sponsored by Directors Guild of Korea and PLUS M.

CGV Award

This award 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 (approx. USD 7,600) sponsored by CJ CGV.

KBS Independent Film Award

The KBS Independent Film Award 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 (approx. USD 7,600). This cash prize is sponsored by KBS.

CGK Award

The CGK Award, 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 3,800).

Critic b Award

Critic b Award 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 (approx. USD 7,600).

Aurora Media Award

This award 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 (approx. USD 7,600) respectively. This cash prize is sponsored by Aurora Media.

Watcha Award

This award 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 (approx. USD 3,800). This cash prize is sponsored by Watcha.

Citizen Critics' Award

Citizen critics from the Busan Cinematheque choose the best film from those screened in Korean Cinema Today - Vision section. The winner is awarded KRW 10,000,000 (approx. USD 7,600) for supporting the director’s next production.

Busan Cinephile Award

This award 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 (approx. USD 3,800). The jury of college students, including numerous students from the cinema-related departments of six universities in Busan region, select the winner.

Fund

Asian Cinema Fund (ACF)

Asian Cinema Fund (ACF) has been an essential partner for Asian cinema with its three supporting categories - Script Development Fund, Post-production Fund and Asian Network of Documentary (AND) Fund. ACF is committed to help activate more independent film productions and to set up a stable production environment. New Asian cinema discovered by ACF gets to complete into a film through comprehensive support from A to Z and to explore various opportunities through Busan's family programs such as Asian Film Market and Asian Project Market (APM). ACF projects have been presented at many international film festivals and received great response both from audience and critics. Now, ACF helps Asian feature films and documentaries to establish their identities and to position themselves as important parts of the film industry. During the Busan International Film Festival, ACF provides a forum for Asian filmmakers to share their knowledge, leading to a pan-Asian network. Also, in cooperation with other international film festivals, ACF broadens opportunities to present high quality Asian films and documentaries around the world. ACF is striving to help Asian filmmakers realize their visions and to take Asian cinema to the next level.

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