The 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) is set to showcase a stellar lineup this year, with renowned Chinese director Zhang Yimou taking the helm as the jury president for the festival’s Competition section. This edition marks the second iteration of the esteemed Competition section at BIFF, promising an exciting array of films and a distinguished panel of jurors.
Zhang Yimou: A Cinematic Luminary
Zhang Yimou’s illustrious career is hallmarked by accolades from the most prestigious European film festivals. His debut feature, “Red Sorghum,” won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival in 1987. Zhang has also claimed the Golden Lion at Venice twice, for “The Story of Qiu Ju” (1992) and “Not One Less” (1999), and received the Grand Prix of the Jury at Cannes for “To Live” (1994). Notably, he has earned three Academy Award nominations and five Golden Globe nominations throughout his career. Zhang’s recent projects include “One Second” (2021) and “Full River Red” (2023), with an upcoming adaptation of the acclaimed sci-fi novel “The Three-Body Problem.” His relationship with the Busan festival dates back to 2010 when “Under the Hawthorn Tree” kicked off the event.
A Diverse and Acclaimed Jury
Zhang Yimou will be joined on the jury by a remarkable group of filmmakers and actors. Among them is Bi Gan, whose latest film, “Resurrection” (2025), premiered in BIFF’s first Competition last year, winning the Artistic Contribution prize. His previous works, such as “Kaili Blues” (2015) and “Long Day’s Journey Into Night” (2018), received critical acclaim, with the latter making its debut in Un Certain Regard at Cannes. Actress Moon Choi, who has successfully transitioned into directing and producing, won Actor of the Year at BIFF in 2018 for “Our Body” and stars in this year’s “Bedford Park.”
Participating in the jury as well is Japanese director Ishikawa Kei, a graduate of Poland’s Łódź Film School, whose debut feature “Gukoroku – Traces of Sin” (2016) screened at the Venice Film Festival. His 2022 film “A Man” returned to Busan as the closing film after its Venice screening, garnering eight Japan Academy Film Prizes. The jury also includes July Jung, notable as the first South Korean woman director with all three of her features invited to Cannes, including “A Girl at My Door” (2014) and “Next Sohee” (2022), leading up to “Dora” (2026), which is part of this year’s lineup.
Vietnamese producer Tran Thi Bich Ngoc, with three decades of experience, has backed notable films like “Big Father, Small Father and Other Stories” (2015) and “The Third Wife” (2018). She currently leads the project market and DANAFF Talents program at the Danang Asian Film Festival. Lastly, Kazakhstani actress Samal Yeslyamova, who won the Best Actress award at Cannes for “Ayka” (2018), has a rich history with BIFF, serving on its New Currents jury and participating in the 2019 opening film “The Horse Thieves. Roads of Time.”
The Competition and Awards
The jury will have the robust task of evaluating thirteen films as part of this year’s Competition lineup. The prestigious Busan Award will be presented across five categories: best film, best director, special jury prize, best actor, and artistic contribution, with a total prize pool of KRW 110 million (approximately $80,350). This year, BIFF has also been recognized as a FIAPF A-list festival, joining the ranks of Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Sundance, and Toronto. Notably, the winner of the best film award will now qualify directly for the Academy Awards’ international feature film category.
Event Details
The 31st Busan International Film Festival will take place from October 6-15, 2023, hosted at the Busan Cinema Center and various locations throughout the city. Complementing the festival, the 21st Asian Contents & Film Market will be held from October 10-13.
