Busan Film Festival director Jung Hanseok says new international recognition is strengthening the event’s Competition section and changing how filmmakers across Asia view it. In an interview with Deadline, he linked the shift to the festival’s A-list status and a new route into international feature Oscar submissions.
The International Federation of Film Producers Associations, known as FIAPF, added Busan to its A-list in March, placing it alongside established events including Berlin, Venice and Cannes. The Academy subsequently announced a qualification pathway for top prize winners from six international festivals.
That group includes Busan, Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Sundance and Toronto. For Busan’s relatively young Competition section, the two developments provide additional recognition as the festival works to establish its standing with filmmakers and the wider industry.
Busan film festival gains a clearer Oscar pathway
Jung said the changes are already benefiting both the volume and quality of submissions. He described the recognition as an additional incentive for filmmakers to send their work to the Busan International Film Festival, known as BIFF.
The Competition section has less history than its counterparts at longer-established festivals. Jung said an early task was to explain its value and persuade filmmakers to have confidence in it. FIAPF’s recognition and the Academy’s pathway, in his view, have helped the festival move that work forward more quickly.
He also described a possible longer-term route for participating filmmakers: a Busan Award for Best Film could become the starting point for an Oscar campaign. The pathway concerns eligibility for submission; winning at Busan does not itself amount to an Oscar nomination or an Academy Award.
A more receptive regional industry
Jung pointed to Japanese industry figures as one indication of the section’s changing reception. Compared with the previous year, he said they have been more proactive and open to the Competition.
That response matters to a festival presenting films from across Asia. Jung’s account suggests the section’s developing reputation is reaching beyond South Korea’s industry, even as its organizers continue building confidence in the new format.
Fourteen films anchor the second year
With the Competition entering its second year, Jung said the emphasis has shifted toward stability and consolidation. He described the atmosphere around the section as more positive than during its debut, allowing organizers to focus on reinforcing the program rather than explaining why it belongs at the festival.
The lineup contains 14 titles. Jung said the quality of each individual film drove selection, while the complete slate was intended to offer a view of contemporary Asian cinema. He described a more consistent level of quality across this year’s entries, alongside a higher overall standard.
Those comments outline two connected priorities: choosing strong individual works and assembling a program that reflects the region’s current filmmaking. They also explain why the Competition’s second year is a significant part of the festival’s broader development.
Expanded screenings and early attendance signals
The full festival lineup includes 246 films, five more than last year and its largest program since 2019. Organizers opened the event a day earlier and added screenings from Thursday through Sunday, when attendance has traditionally been strongest.
Jung said the scheduling adjustments were practical efforts to give audiences more opportunities to see films and make attending easier. He described the initial response as positive. Before on-site ticket sales began, online bookings suggested attendance could surpass the previous year, he told Deadline.
That was an early assessment based on bookings, rather than a final attendance total. The Competition’s reception and the expanded screening schedule remain central to Jung’s account of the festival’s progress. Follow our entertainment coverage for related festival news.
Photo: Busan International Film Festival / BIFF. Official logo in archival promotional artwork.
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