Busan opens 31st festival with Yeoh, Fan and Cuarón on the carpet
Michelle Yeoh and Fan Bingbing led the red carpet as the Busan International Film Festival opened its 31st edition on 6 October.
The ceremony took place at the Busan Cinema Center Roof Theater in Haeundae-gu, listed in the festival catalogue for 18:00 and reported locally as starting at around 19:30, according to Chosun. Busan Mayor Park Chun Jae-soo declared the festival open. Jung Hanseok is leading the event for a second year as festival director, according to Variety.
The carpet was crowded. Charlotte Gainsbourg joined Yeoh and Fan on the international guest list. Directors Alfonso Cuarón, Kore-eda Hirokazu, Lee Chang-dong and Na Hong-jin also attended the opening.
Two honours were presented on the night. Yeoh received the Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award. She is the first Asian winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress and was returning to Busan after 15 years. Director Ann Hui received the Camellia Award, which BIFF established with Chanel in 2024 to recognise film professionals who push boundaries and advance the status of women in cinema.
Competition duties this year sit with jury president Zhang Yimou. He is joined by six other jurors: Bi Gan, Kei Ishikawa, Moon Choi, July Jung, Tran Thi Bich Ngoc and Samal Yeslyamova.
The opening film is “The Table: Day and Night”, a Korean film by director Kim Jong-kwan described as a quiet anthology of conversations that take place at a cafe, according to Yonhap. The choice keeps the focus on local storytelling to start the ten-day event. The festival runs from 6 to 15 October.
This year’s Busan is its largest in several years. The lineup holds 246 films, its biggest selection since 2019, according to Yonhap. Organisers have also noted the festival kicked off with ‘A-list’ status for the first time.
What makes this stand out for audiences is access. Yeoh, Fan and Cuarón are each scheduled to hold public conversations about film during the festival, according to Sports Khan. The programme also lists masterclasses with Cuarón and Na, plus a special talk with Hui.
