‘Request Cinema’ has officially unveiled 46 programs open for public voting. Reflecting the participatory spirit at the heart of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), the call for audience programmers—who take part in curating and organizing the program—drew a record-breaking 87 submissions.
Of these, 46 programs that received screening clearance have been shortlisted for public voting following a rigorous review, from which around 15 will be selected for the final lineup. Voting takes place via the online platform Parti Townhall, and each voter may select up to four titles. The final lineup will be confirmed based on a combined score: 70% public voting and 30% expert evaluation.
In celebration of the 30th edition of BIFF, the 2025 Request Cinema presents a vibrant and distinctive selection of films that can only be experienced through this program. This year’s lineup heightens expectations with a curated retrospective of past BIFF screenings that garnered strong audience support. This year’s program is taking shape around major audience-driven themes, such as ▲The Masters ▲Fandom ▲Youth ▲Actors. Climate & Disaster, Queer, and Asian Cinema were also well represented, showcasing the diversity and topicality.
Audience demand for Guest Visit (GV) sessions, live performances, and merchandise remained strong, underscoring the impact of new audience programmers in broadening this year’s selection. Responding to ongoing requests for engagement with renowned international directors and actors, the program aims to expand its online GV sessions this year. Highlights are expected to include participation from production designer Ryu Seong-hie of No Blood No Tears (2002) and music director Jung Jae-il of Broker (2022).
Detailed information regarding the program selection is available on the official Community BIFF website: https://community.biff.kr. Voting is open for 8 days from July 16 (Wed) to July 23 (Wed), 12:00 KST.
The 30th Busan International Film Festival is scheduled to take place from September 17 (Wed) to September 26 (Fri) at the Busan Cinema Center. Community BIFF will run from September 18 (Thu) to September 21 (Sun) in Nampo-dong, while BIFF Everywhere will engage audiences across various locations throughout Busan from September 18 (Thu) to September 25 (Thu).
