The 2024 Busan International Film Festival is set to kick off on October 2, featuring the international premiere of Uprising, a historical war epic directed by Kim Sang-man and scripted by Park Chan-wook. The festival will conclude with Singaporean director Eric Khoo’s Spirit World, starring Catherine Deneuve. Park Do-shin, the festival’s acting director, described Uprising as a captivating historical drama with a stellar team of creators, while Khoo’s Spirit World explores deep existential questions through cinematic expression.
Uprising will be the first streaming title to open the festival, making it a significant milestone. Park Kwang-su, the festival’s chairperson, promised to bring back some of the previous festival’s traditions, including offline dailies, a festival lounge, and shuttle bus services for guests and visitors. Despite a government subsidy decrease, this year’s event has expanded screenings by 8 percent compared to last year, with 224 films from 63 countries scheduled for the official selection. The rise of corporate sponsors has enabled the showcase of 279 films, including 13 international premieres and 86 world premieres.
The 29th edition of the Busan International Film Festival will honor Kurosawa Kiyoshi, the Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award winner known for psychological horror films. The festival will screen two of his recent works, along with films by other Asian filmmakers such as Jia Zhangke and Mohammad Rasoulof. Legendary European filmmakers like Bruno Dumont, Sean Baker, and Miguel Gomes will also be featured, with their award-winning films showcased at the event.
Korean commercial films have an expanded presence at this year’s festival, including titles like Bogota: City of the Lost and Hear Me: Our Summer. A special section commemorating the late actor Lee Sun-kyun will feature his earlier works alongside Parasite screenings. Director Lee Ran-hee will present her second feature film, The Final Semester, while Park Song-yeol returns with Kike Will Hit a Home Run. The festival will premier the film adaptation of the Japanese TV series Solitary Gourmet in an outdoor theatre, and the French thriller Night Call will be part of the Midnight Passion section.
Busan International Film Festival continues to serve as a platform for diverse filmmakers from around the world, showcasing a rich array of films that touch upon different genres, themes, and cultural backgrounds. With a lineup that includes both acclaimed auteurs and emerging talents, the festival promises to provide a cinematic experience that caters to a wide range of audiences. From historical epics to contemporary dramas, and from psychological thrillers to romantic comedies, the films featured at Busan International Film Festival offer a glimpse into the diverse and vibrant world of cinema.
