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BIFF · Busan, South Korea

Busan International Film Festival

Founded 1996Usually early-to-mid OctoberBusan Cinema Center, Centum City

A showcase built around new films and first-time directors, with a particular focus on emerging Asian cinema.

The festival

BIFF is widely regarded as one of the largest and most influential film festivals in Asia. It has been named the only Asia-based festival among a small group of international festivals offering an eligibility pathway toward the International Feature Film Oscar, alongside Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Sundance and Toronto. It has become a key launchpad for Asian filmmakers seeking international recognition.

Worth knowing

For its first 15 editions the festival centered on the Nampo-dong theater district, where the city named a street “BIFF Square.” In 2011 it moved to the purpose-built Busan Cinema Center, whose vast cantilevered roof is among the longest in the world.

How to attend

BIFF is open to the public, with individual screening tickets sold online and at festival box offices, typically going on sale in the weeks before opening.

Official site →

Dates and programs change year to year — check the official site for the current edition.