[Sportschosun Ahn So-yoon] Executive Chair Jung Han-seok explained why the opening day of the 31st Busan International Film Festival was moved up by one day, from Wednesday to Tuesday.
At a press conference for the 31st Busan International Film Festival held on Sept. 1 at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jung District, Seoul, Jung said, "We moved the opening day from Wednesday to Tuesday to expand audience access."
The 31st Busan International Film Festival has taken a new leap forward with a stronger international profile. This year, it was officially selected as an A-list festival by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations, placing it alongside major global festivals such as Cannes, Berlin and Venice. Board Chair Park said, "I have worked on three festivals through this year. I first took office in February 2024 and took a close look at the festival. Since I had been away from the festival for a long time, I examined in detail what had changed over the years. But the direction and concept established when the festival was first created were still intact. I found it remarkable that the Asia-centered non-competitive festival and the premiere section have remained unchanged." He added, "Since then, it has faithfully carried out its role of discussing and supporting the future of Asian cinema. It switched to a competitive festival last year, and it is gradually producing results."
A total of 247 films have been officially selected for this year's festival. That is six more than last year and the largest lineup since 2019. Including the 69 films in the affiliated Community BIFF program, the total number of screenings comes to 316.
He also explained why the opening day, which had previously been on Wednesday, was moved up to Tuesday. Jung said, "We considered that most festivalgoers plan their visits and screening schedules during the first week after the opening," adding, "We wanted to further expand viewing opportunities for audiences who come to the site."
Meanwhile, the 31st Busan International Film Festival will run for 10 days from Oct. 6 to 15 at the Busan Cinema Center area. The opening film is Kim Jong-kwan's "Between Day and Night."
Ahn So-yoon, Sportschosun
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
