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Entries open for Busan International Film Festival – Asia

Deadline: 19 June 2024

Entries are now open for the Busan International Film Festival, a largest film festival in Asia, non-competitive (with some competitive sections).

The Busan International Film Festival is accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers’ Associations (FIAPF) as belonging to the category of “Competitive Specialised Feature Film Festivals (First and Second feature films).”

Programs

  • The official sections of the Busan International Film Festival are as follows:
    • Gala Presentation: Influential filmmakers and actors present their films in Busan to celebrate their artistic achievements.
    • Icons: A showcase of the latest films of contemporary iconic filmmakers from around the world.
    • Jiseok: A competition section for established Asian filmmakers with three or more feature films. The two best films are presented with the Kim Jiseok Award. 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 peak into the various styles and visions within Asian cinema, highlighting the films of this year’s most talented Asian filmmakers as well as the work of directors already established within the industry.
    • New Currents: A competition among up-and-coming Asian filmmakers’ first or second features that bestows two films with the New Currents Award. All films must be presented as a World or International Premiere.
    • Korean Cinema Today-Special Premiere: A section for the latest and representative selections of contemporary Korean mainstream commercial films with special public attractions and status.
    • Korean Cinema Today-Panorama: An introduction to the year’s most significant and popular Korean films, from commercial blockbusters to arthouse favorites.
    • Korean Cinema Today-Vision: A carefully curated lineup of the latest Korean independent feature films of the year and a glimpse into the future of Korean cinema.
    • World Cinema: A showcase of the year’s non-Asian narrative features including the latest works from well-known filmmakers and international film festival awardees.
    • Flash Forward: A competition among non-Asian filmmakers’ first or second features that take an innovative and original approach to cinema. The winner is selected by the audience and awarded the Flash Forward Audience Award.
    • Wide Angle: A section dedicated to showing outstanding short films, documentaries and experimental films that offer broad cinematic viewpoints and a distinct vision.
    • Open Cinema: A collection of new and internationally acclaimed films that offer an ideal mix of the popular with the artistic are screened at the hallmark outdoor theater.
    • Midnight Passion: A collection of horror, action, and thriller films that are certain to keep diehard film fans awake throughout the night.
    • On Screen: Presentation of highly anticipated or most talked about drama series of the year.
    • Special Program in Focus: A special showcase of films by notable filmmakers or those working within a specific topic.
  • The programs may be subject to change.

Awards

  • Details of the Awards are as follows:
    • New Currents Award: The New Currents Award is given to the two best feature films selected from the first or second feature of new Asian directors introduced in the New Currents section (a competitive section of BIFF for Asian films). A grand prize 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: The Kim Jiseok Award, established in 2017, is to remember and honor the late Kim Ji-seok who devoted his whole life to discovering and supporting the growth of Asian cinema. The award is in the competition category for the most notable Asian directors’ new films of the year, and two best films are selected and awarded a cash prize of USD 10,000 each.
    • BIFF Mecenat Award: The BIFF Mecenat Award is granted to the best documentary from Korea and Asia in the Wide Angle competitive section. The winner will be granted KRW 10,000,000 (approx. USD 7,600) with the purpose of assisting their next production.
    • Sonje Award: The Sonje Award is given to the best Korean and Asian short films in the Wide Angle section, to assist them in producing the next project by providing KRW 10,000,000 (approx. USD 7,600) to each director.
    • Actor of the Year: The Actor of the Year is the award to focus on the newcomer in the independent Korean films among the New Currents and Korean Cinema Today – Vision section. The renowned Korean actor and actress select one actor and one actress with outstanding performance. The winners will be awarded at the closing ceremony with a cash prize of KRW 5,000,000 (approx. USD 3,800) each.
    • KB New Currents Audience Award: This award is given to the film that is most highly rated by festival audiences from the New Currents section. A total 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 that is most highly rated by festival audiences from the Flash Forward section. A total of KRW 10,000,000 (approx. USD 7,600) is awarded to the director.
    • FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) Award: This award is given to wellmade works that reflect its experimental and progressive spirit, among those presented in the New Currents section.
    • NETPAC Award: The NETPAC Award is given to the best film selected by the NETPAC jury among the films screened in the New Currents section. NETPAC is an international organization founded in 1990 devoted to the expansion of Asian film distribution and screening.
    • 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).
    • 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).
    • 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 TodayVision and New Currents sections to receive KRW 10,000,000 (approx. USD 7,600).
    • CGK Award: The CGK Award, sponsored by the Cinematographers Guild of Korea, is given to one Korean film from either the 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: The 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).
    • 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 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.
    • Watcha Short Award: This award is established to support short film directors in Korean cinema. 2 short films chosen from Wide Angle-Korean Short Competition section will be given a cash prize of KRW 5,000,000 each (approx. USD 3,800).
    • 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 and will be given a cash prize of KRW 10,000,000 (approx. USD 7,600) respectively.
    • Citizen Critics’ Award: Citizen critics from the Busan Cinematheque choose the best film from those screened in the 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 the Busan region, select the winner.

Eligibility Criteria

  • The Festival accepts features, short films, documentaries and animations. The film must have been completed no earlier than October 2023, and should be completed no later than September 2024.
  • Films with a total running time of less than 60 minutes are classified as shorts. Films with a total running time 60 minutes or longer are classified as features.
  • Short Documentaries (both Asian and Non-Asian) and Non-Asian short fiction films are not open to submission.
  • For the Wide Angle-Korean Short Film Competition and Asian Short Film Competition sections, only films with a total running of not more than 30 minutes, and only World Premiere and International Premiere films are considered. However, in terms of a private screening, films that have been or will be exhibited for a graduation screening or limited to certain people, the regular premiere status rule still applies.
  • of new versions due to re-shooting, re-editing and etc., exceptional cases may apply by the decision of the Selection Committee. Films submitted for previous editions of the Festival should not be resubmitted. In case

Deadlines

  • Short Films: 19 June (Wed), 18:00 (KST)
  • Feature Films: 17 July (Wed), 18:00 (KST)

For more information, visit BIFF.