Hello, hope you are having a great week so far. 🙌

As days turn into weeks, this year continues to fill with meaningful memories in the making. 

We are happy to share our journey towards the opening of the 30th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) with some notable names. 🎁

In this issue, we’ve gathered a few of those moments for you:

📌 Opening Film - No Other Choice by PARK Chan-wook

📌 CHUNG Jiyoung award with the Korean Cinema Award

Let me bring a small spark of excitement to your day.
Shall we dive in together? 🏃‍♀️💨

No Other Choice, directed by Park Chan-wook, is set to open the 30th BIFF. 

📢 Marking Park’s return to screen three years after Decision to Leave (2022), it is one of the most-anticipated Korean films of 2025.  

Showcasing Park’s beautiful mise-en-scène and solid direction, the film portrays the story of an ordinary office worker whose seemingly perfect life unravels after a sudden dismissal. 

Lee Byung Hun, also the opening ceremony host, stars as Man-su who struggles for reemployment to secure his family and home.

The announcement of this selection has brought a huge excitement across the film community. We hope this marks the beginning of a renewed revitalisation of Korean cinema. 👏

Chung Jiyoung, one of the prominent figures in Korean cinema, has been selected as the recipient of the Korean Cinema Award.

His films, such as Unbowed (2011) and National Security (2012), reflect the modern history of Korea by adeptly tackling social injustice and human rights issues. 

Off-screen, he has also spearheaded efforts to improve the film industry’s structure. By advocating for the protection of the screen quota system, the abolition of censorship, and the dismantling of screen monopolies by major conglomerates, he has led championing the rights and diversity of films. 🗣️📽️

In his acceptance speech, he remarked, “I have been making films through the dark days and golden age of Korean cinema, and now face yet another era of challenges.” His award honours a lifetime of groundbreaking work that continues to shape the future of Korean film.

This program spotlights five emerging women filmmakers in Korean cinema through retrospective screenings of the films that have shaped them. 

Try to guess the titles of the selected films with the emojis below:

Are you ready to find out the answers?

(drum roll ………… 🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁) 

 < A Little History of Our Own, ‘Take Care of Our Future!> 

Memento Mori

KIM Sein X KIM Tae-yong & MIN Kyu-dong

The full slate of films is chosen for evoking memories, sparking inspiration and shaping their identities. Each selection reflects the history of Korean cinema as an intergenerational bridge for the next wave of young film professionals. 🎞️

Together with pioneering figures of the industry, these rising voices create a radiant moment of solidarity.

Are you excited to explore these compelling films and their personal recollections behind them?

👥 Stay tuned for the full agenda of senior directors’ talks, coming soon! 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♂️

This year Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) is launching ‘Doc Square’, a vibrant networking space for all creative Asian documentary film professionals.

Through seven tailored programs, including ‘Documentary WIP Showcase’ and ‘Project Meeting’, documentary filmmakers across the region are to foster new insights and collaboration together. 

Here, emerging voices are set to take the lead in shaping the future of cinema. Let us begin tomorrow’s Asian documentaries from this stage. 

To find out more, press the button below. 👇

As each name joins the roster, the festival’s story unfolds. 

Look forward to exciting updates  in our upcoming newsletter! 

- The 30th Busan International Film Festival -

🌊 Now in BIFF 🌊

📌 Registration for the 30th Busan International Film Festival Badges

• ※ Schedule varies by category / Please refer to the official BIFF website for details.

📌 Asian Cinema Fund(ACF) Launched Co-Production Support Fund Open for Submissions

• July 1 (Tues) to August 14 (Thurs)

📌 Rolling Recruitment — Contract-Based Staff Positions

• From July 16 (Wed) ~ Ongoing