As the Busan International Film Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary, director John Hanseok has not lived in past achievements. Instead, he coordinates what he calls “the beginning of a new chapter” for one of Asia’s most influential film festivals.
Opened in Park Chan-Wook’s “Other Choices,” the Milestone Edition represents the most dramatic change in Biff’s history, centering on the launch of the first-ever competitive section and a comprehensive rethinking of the festival’s structure.
The weight of the number “30” is undoubtedly undeniable,” Jung tells Variety. “But I did not wish to look back on past glory or merely congratulations this year. If this edition is remembered as a monumental year, it is not because of the numbers themselves, but to mark the beginning of a new chapter at the Busan International Film Festival.”
The new competition section represents perhaps the boldest move in Jung’s six-month festival overhaul. By integrating the Kim Ji-Jok program with the long-standing new current, Biff has created a more impactful platform exclusively for Asian films.
Jung’s honest assessment of the previous system reveals the strategic thinking behind the change. “I realized that our two representative sections, the new flow and the Jiseok section, have reached their limits in terms of influence. Most people, including me, can’t remember them.”
The new approach already shows results. “At the moment this year’s lineup was announced, two invited films secured sales agents: Daisuke Shigaya’s “Leave the Cat Alone” and Vimukthi Jayasundara’s “Spister”” and Jung praise the competition section for playing “meaningful roles” that nurture the film’s profile.
The 14 competitive titles selected reflect Jung’s commitment to quality rather than geographical balance. “When choosing 14 films, we took little consideration of regional diversity,” he explains. “Apart from the assumption that the lineup must be Asian films, our focus was solely on the intrinsic value of each work.”
This approach has brought about important expressions from Japan, China and South Korea. This argues for reflection on “one aspect of the current Asian cinema landscape, where the new Busan competition section becomes visible.”
The first trophy of the competition, designed by the winners of Palme D’Or’s Apichatpong Weerasethakul, embody the festival’s new philosophy. Thai Oater described his creation as “a heart that flows, perhaps something that could resemble a vase of flowers.”
“He told me, “I felt that the Busan International Film Festival had a similar spirit that was filled with ensembles of creators and their stories,” recalls John. This trophy represents “something that is not solidified, fluent, fluid, constantly changing, just like water.”
The anniversary edition features 241 films in the expanded venue, including an expanded Midnight Passion, a rethinked vision programme and the return of Asian cinema.
“It was important to look at the whole forest, not just the trees,” he explains. “While keeping the overall balance of the festival in mind, I also gained a bold selection and focused focus on individual programs.”
Forum Biff reflects Jung’s practical approach to industry challenges, focusing on two key themes: overcoming the crisis in the Korean film industry and assessing trends in Asian films. The panel features active industry practitioners rather than theorists.
“Our approach is the same: avoiding abstract rhetoric or theorizing of the sky, instead focusing on developing concrete and practical solutions to the urgent problems facing both industries today,” emphasizes Jung.
Park Chan-Wook’s “No Other Choice” held a festival and was chosen for both artistic merit and commercial appeal. “When the Korean film industry is facing a crisis, we felt that there was no better choice as a more appropriate signal of encouragement than this film,” Jung says. “It’s from Park Chang Wook, who has long been one of the crucial figures in Korean films, and it’s also the project he dedicated his life to.”
The competitive judges led by “Chaser” director Na Hongji Jin illustrate Jung’s vision for this section. “We wanted the first competition section to be guided by someone with both vision and boldness, which is why we chose Director Na Hong-Jin as the ju umpire.”
Jung prefers to describe his initiative as “establishing a competitive section,” rather than turning Biff into a competitive festival, but he acknowledges the possibility of expansion. “If the newly created competition section is successfully rooted, we can consider expanding it, whether we add a new award or create a new program in the future.”
For now, the focus is on the current transformation. Jung’s hope is that “in the next few years, this edition will be remembered as a bold first step in a truly transformative journey.”
As Biff enters its fourth year, Jung’s ecological approach – all sections “coexist, lag or ignored, but work harmoniously as a whole” – the festival is positioned not only as a celebration of Asian cinema, but as an important industry platform for the future of regional filmmaking.
