Busan International Film Festival unveils 14-film competition lineup

The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has unveiled its full 2026 programme, featuring a 14-title Competition section, its largest overall film selection since 2019 and a guest lineup that includes Maggie Gyllenhaal, Michelle Yeoh, Majid Majidi and Japanese anime filmmaker Rintaro.

Now in its second edition, the Competition section comprises 14 films, including 12 world premieres and four debut features. Among the selections are Korean newcomer Lim Hayeon’s “Beach Fictions”, Hirose Nanako’s “Between Two Lovers” and acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi’s latest film, “Midday Meal”. Majidi will also make his first visit to the festival.

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Indonesia is represented in the competition by Eddie Cahyono’s “Ibuku” and Yosep Anggi Noen’s “The Sea Speaks His Name”, while Uzbek filmmaker Botir Abdurakhmanov will present his debut feature “Hilol”.

This year’s festival comes after BIFF received official recognition from the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) as an “A-list festival”. Following the recognition, the winner of the Busan Award for Best Film, the top prize in the Competition section, will qualify for submission to the Academy Awards’ Best International Feature Film category.

Gyllenhaal will attend with her short film “Flesh Impact”, created to commemorate the centenary of Marilyn Monroe’s birth. The film will be presented as a Special Screening alongside Monroe’s 1956 film “Bus Stop”. Gyllenhaal will also participate in a special talk.

Yeoh has been named Asian Filmmaker of the Year, while Hong Kong filmmaker Ann Hui will receive the Camellia Award, which recognises filmmakers who have contributed to elevating the status of women in cinema. BIFF co-founder and former chairman Kim Dong-ho will receive this year’s Korean Cinema Award.

Other prominent guests include French actress Isabelle Huppert, Filipino filmmaker Lav Diaz, Indonesian actress Christine Hakim and Rintaro.

BIFF will screen 246 official selections this year, five more than the previous edition and its largest lineup since 2019. The festival will open on October 6, a day earlier than in previous years, while the number of daily screenings during its busiest period will increase from four to five.

As previously announced, Kim Jong-kwan’s “The Table: Day and Night” will have its world premiere as the opening film. The story follows four couples experiencing different moments of love at a single café between summer and autumn.

The Vision Korea section features 12 films, including Kim Hyomi’s debut animated feature “Earbug”, Park Kun-young’s “Things I Left At The Theater” and Shin Dongmin’s “Not For You”. Vision Asia comprises 11 titles, including Nguyen Hoang Diep’s “1982”, Arvin Belarmino’s “Ria” and Isabella Lam Lok-hin’s debut feature “Dead End”.

The On Screen section will present three upcoming series: “Blue Road”, “Dead-End Job” and “The Remarried Empress”. Meanwhile, Na Hong-jin’s “Hope” and Yoon Dan-bi’s “The World Before” are among the films selected for Korean Cinema Today – Panorama.

Special programmes this year include a retrospective dedicated to Korean actor Ahn Sung-ki and a Japanese animation showcase featuring works by Rintaro, Kadowaki Kohei, Katanosaka Ryo, Natsume Shingo and Shinomiya Yoshitoshi.

BIFF’s industry platform, the Asian Contents and Film Market, has named Thailand its inaugural Country of Honour, while Japan will be the Focus Country for Producer Hub. The Asian Project Market has also selected 30 projects from 20 countries for its 2026 edition.

BIFF 2026 Competition section

• “Beach Fictions” — Lim Hayeon (South Korea) — World premiere, debut feature
• “Between Two Lovers” — Hirose Nanako (Japan) — World premiere
• “The Day After Sunday” — Kato Takuya (Japan, France) — World premiere
• “Descendants” — Chen Jiwen (China) — World premiere
• “The First Taste of Loneliness” — Gu You (China) — World premiere
• “Hilol” — Botir Abdurakhmanov (Uzbekistan) — World premiere, debut feature
• “Ibuku” — Eddie Cahyono (Indonesia, Japan) — World premiere
• “Long Long Night” — Youm Kyubock (South Korea) — debut feature
• “Midday Meal” — Majid Majidi (Iran) — World premiere
• “Satoko Always” — Okita Shuichi (Japan) — International premiere
• “The Sea Speaks His Name” — Yosep Anggi Noen (Indonesia) — World premiere
• “Shaving” — Kim Jung-Hoon (South Korea) — World premiere
• “Silver Express” — Tanaka Miki (Japan) — World premiere, debut feature
• “To Be Ordinary” — Lee Yun Chan (Taiwan) — World premiere