The curtain fell on the 30th edition of the Busan International Film Festival Friday evening with a closing ceremony that doubled as a prize -cereal gala, ending the very first competition of the event. The new launch of the Busan crowned the veteran of the Chinese-co-director author Zhang Lu Gloaming in Luomu As the best film, while the star of the Taiwanese screen, the filmmaker at the first time, Shu Qi, won the best director for honors for GirlA story of transition to adulthood based on his childhood.
During the 2025 event, there were 329 films, including 90 first, screened on 31 screens in seven theaters from this South Korean port city. And, in accordance with the opportunity to score three decades, the stars were released to play.
The local icons Lee Byung-Hun, Lisa de Blackpink and Han Hyo-Joo shone during the opening evening. International players, notably Guillermo Del Toro, Michael Mann, Juliette Binoche, Milla Jovovich and the hour creator Kpop demon hunters“Maggie Kang quickly followed suit.
International industry has proven to be in mass to get an idea of things on the ground in Korea and through Asia, and to make sure that the parts in and around the Haeundae district on the edge of the beach overflowed.
The Hollywood Reporter was on site all along, and we leave – possibly – with a few things in our minds.
Changes were the city’s speech
The eyebrows had been raised with Biff’s decision to present the best films, the best director and the best actor in the festivities and to join the competition between the best festivals of competitive films in the world.
Biff wants to trace fresh horizons after 30 years, and which can criticize this reflection, given an annual festival calendar already busy? At the very least, the Busan Awards made people speak – with “Passion and heat”, according to the new director of the Jung Hanseok festival.
“When people heard [about the changes] The usual reaction was “well, it will be difficult”, which generally means that they think that you cannot withdraw it, “said the new director of the Karen Park festival program.” But we have people who speak, which means that we have engaged them. “”
There have also been other adjustments through the program, including the new Carte Blanche section (and quickly sold), which began by inviting filmmakers and writers to choose any film they liked to project and discuss, but now hopes in future editions to involve artists and artists. Highlights included Kpop demon hunters‘Kang selecting the classic of the Bong Joon Ho The hostand bong himself turning his attention to the thriller of aoyama shinji Eureka.
“I think we have answered a lot of doubts and have shown that we are not afraid to deal with changes or to make new adjustments to survive this time,” said Park.
Creativity shows that Korean content is always king
Busan opens the eyes of the world to what is happening through Korea every year, and once again, the program has demonstrated the depth of talents and creativity that is boasting of the market.
The beginnings of director Yoo Jaein On the way to (De Hive FilmWorks inc) is an example. He approaches a complex and sensitive subject – a schoolgirl gets pregnant to a teacher and decides to keep the child – with a remarkable franchise (and, sometimes, humor). And to Lee Ji-Won (playing the irrepressible friend of the girl), he surely unearthed a star.
Other unlocks include Lee Kwang-Kuk Beautiful dreamer (M-Line distribution), a sensitive look at sorrow and the struggle towards acceptance. Those looking for a commercial flair were well served by two intelligent elegant thrillers: soon Chief (Finecut International) – All years 90s and slippery men in brilliant costumes by Ra Hee -Chan – and Lee Kwan’s Y Project (The more M Entertainment), which associates Han So-Hee and Jun Jongseo as women wrongly to settle their world.
The figures could be down in Korea, but the industry remains in good hands.
Reza Rahadian leaves fans and seduced critics
While the marked prices were announced on Friday evening, the tradition of postponing prices at the Friday morning press conference continued – as is the ability of Biff to surprise.
Enter Reza Rahadian. One of the most bankable stars in Indonesia – he won five of the Citra -Equivalents in the country Citra – Rahadien made his debut On your knees (Gambar Gerak Film) in Biff for his world premiere, and he duly collected four of the prices voted by the public and the critics.
It is a nuanced and tender film that follows the situation of a single mother when she finds it difficult to reach both ends in a cafe with dubious service practices, while looking for love. The word quickly spread from its power, and the performance of its star Claresta Tauufan, which won the Rising Star prize from Biff, with the public attracted by what programmer Park Sungho called “a poignant look in the intimate struggle of a woman and his fragile employment on the hope of the crisis”.
Indonesian cinema is an increasing presence at international festivals, and the obvious talent of the Rahadian, and the quality of the film, are sure to help it gain ground.
The figures do not lie
The respite, also in short, could prove, from the gloom of the ticketing fall and the production figures of Korea arrived with the news that the public came to Biff en mass.
Total admissions of 175,889 increased by around 20,000 compared to last year, and to the Asian content and cinema market (ACFM), the 30,006 participants represented an increase of 13.5% in annual shift.
Inside the cinemas, tickets were first events and major, like the first IMAX of Del Toro Frankensteincame with the kind of brass band most of the festivals for.
Biff wants more, but could do with a little help.
The 30th edition was supported by a 20% grant from the Korean government, down approximately four% compared to last year. “To enlarge the festival – to lift it worldwide – we need more support,” said Biff Park Kwangsu president.
On the costumes.
Bi gan -passionate pleadings rally rally troops
If there were still skeptics on power and, in fact, the future of cinema, Bi Gan had a calm word.
The Chinese author brought his Cannes winner Resurrection (Special Prize) In town, a lyrical Paean at 100 years of cinema in its homeland and another sign that the directors of the country continue to extend their horizons in subject and in style.
The film is an experience of “big cinema”, and Biff has provided a lot, often with stars present and eager to dive into questions of questions and more responses that have done overtime. Gan dipped it, then found a way to summarize the experience.
“I think I can sit with a lot of people in a theater and watch a film together is a very special thing,” he said. “The dream is generally made in its own space. However, films are a feeling of many people dreaming together. ”
