Festival Data:

• Established: 1996
• Genre: General
• Attendance: 198818
• Media Attendance: 1695
• Accredited Industry Attendance: 7361
• Total Number of Films Screened: 315
• Total Screenings: 827
• Total National and International Premieres: 228
• Accreditations: FIAPF, FIPRESCI

• Competitive
• Film Market
• Has Panels

Festival Website:

Festival Description:

Renamed in 2011 from the Pusan International Film Festival to the Busan International Film Festival Korea's famous film festival screens international and domestic films in the following program sections:

1) Gala Presentation

Gala Presentation screens master cineastes’ new films, or most-talked-about films of the year, or world/international premieres.

2) A Window on Asian Cinema

A showcase of brand new and/or representative films by the talented Asian filmmakers with their diverse point of views and style.

3) New Currents

A competition section featuring the first or the second feature films by the future leading directors of Asian cinema. All films are restricted to world/international premieres.

4) Korean Cinema Today

Selected Korean feature films are shown in two sub-sections Panorama and Vision. These two spectrums will recognize the current production trend of Korean cinema and anticipate its future.

5) Korean Cinema Retrospective

Re-shedding on the history of Korean cinema by spotlighting the films by a certain notable director or a significant theme.

6) World Cinema

A presentation of new works by world renowned filmmakers along with the year best films that will help in understanding of the recent trend in world cinema.

7) Flash Forward

Flash Forward is a competition section launched in 2010, set to discover yet-surfaced cineastes and create buzz among the young film generation. This section is an eclectic collection of first or second films of up-and-coming filmmakers from non-Asian countries, and all films are world/international premieres.

8) Wide Angle

A section dedicated in showing the outstanding short films, animation, documentaries, and experimental films presenting different and distinct vision via broader cinematic viewpoints.

9) Open Cinema

A collection of new films, combining both art and mass popularity, along with internationally acclaimed works, are shown at the unique outdoor screening venue.

10) Special Programs in Focus

A retrospective and/or a special showcase of films by a certain notable director or genre.

11) Midnight Passion

Midnight Passion presents films of diverse genres selected for entertaining value from all over the world to meet the audience at night.

Busan International Film Festival 2011 provides the following awards:

New Currents Award

New Currents Award is given to two best feature films selected from works of new Asian directors in New Currents section. The jury consisted of world-famous film experts will choose winner with the hopes to encourage continuous endeavor of discovering hidden jewels of Asian cinema, and USD 30,000 will be awarded to each film.

Flash Forward Award

Flash Forward section spotlights first or second feature films by emerging artists outside of Asia. The best film selected will be awarded with USD 30,000.

Sonje Award

This award is given to the best Korean and Asian short films in Wide Angle section, to assist in producing another masterpiece by providing KRW 10,000,000 for each director.

PIFF Mecenat Award

PIFF Mecenat Award is granted to the best Korean and Asian documentary films from Wide Angle section. A cash award of KRW 10,000,000 is given to the each director for the purpose of assisting in the best production.

KNN Award

Voted by the audiences during the festival, this award is presented by KNN foundation to the most popular film from New Currents section. USD 20,000 will be awarded to its director

Film Submissions:

• Call for Entry: http:/ / www.biff.kr/ Template/ Builder/ 00000001/ page.asp?page_num=2318