Busan International Film Festival Opens October 6 — Tickets Are Now on Sale
Korea's biggest film festival returns for its 31st edition — 315 films, a new top prize, and announced guests including Isabelle Huppert and Michelle Yeoh in Busan from October 6 to 15. Here's what's actually happening, and how to catch it.
What's Happening
31st Busan International Film Festival
Ten days, one city, and the biggest lineup Korea's flagship film festival has put together since 2019 — BIFF opens October 6 and runs through October 15, based out of the Busan Cinema Center in Centum City, with additional screenings across nearby multiplexes and theaters.
- Runs October 6–15, 2026 (10 days), centered on the Busan Cinema Center, Centum City, Haeundae-gu
- 246 official-selection films from 59 countries, including 95 world premieres — 315 films in total once Community BIFF and special programs are counted, the festival's largest slate since 2019
- Opening film: The Table: Day and Night, directed by Kim Jong-kwan, itself a world premiere
- Tickets open in two waves: September 17, 2pm (opening/closing ceremonies + headline programs) and September 21, 2pm (general screenings), priced roughly 10,000–30,000 won by section, through biff.kr
A Festival That Just Picked a Favorite
For most of its history, BIFF deliberately avoided crowning a single best film — the whole point was discovery, not a horse race.
The Busan Award Is Still New
For nearly three decades, BIFF ran without one central competitive prize, leaning instead on sections like New Currents — its long-running award for first- or second-time Asian directors, still very much active. That changed in 2025, at the festival's 30th edition, when BIFF launched the Busan Award as its first true juried competition. The 2026 edition's Busan Award lineup brings together 14 Asian films, 12 of them world premieres, including four by first-time directors and four by women filmmakers. The winner is announced at the October 15 closing ceremony — since that hasn't happened yet, there's no result to report here, only the shortlist.
Who's Actually Showing Up
The guest list is a large part of why a film festival in a Korean port city draws people who don't otherwise follow Korean cinema.
Kim Min-ha, twice over
She hosts the October 6 opening ceremony and stars in the night's opening film alongside Joo Jong-hyuk — rare overlap between who's on stage and who's on screen.
Yim Si-wan
Hosts the October 15 closing ceremony, where the Busan Award and the festival's other prizes are announced.
The international list
Isabelle Huppert, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kore-eda Hirokazu, and Michelle Yeoh are among the guests the festival has announced this year — on top of the directors and casts attached to the 59-country lineup itself.
If You're Going
1Book Now — Both Ticket Waves Are Open
- First wave: September 17, 2pm — opening and closing ceremonies plus the festival's headline programs. Second wave: September 21, 2pm — general screenings. Both are live on biff.kr, priced roughly 10,000–30,000 won depending on section. Star-driven titles and the ceremonies themselves tend to move fast.
2You're Headed to Centum City, Not Old Busan
- The festival's home base — Busan Cinema Center — sits in Centum City, Haeundae-gu, not the older downtown Busan area (Nampo-dong) that shows up in most generic Busan travel guides. From Seoul, KTX to Busan Station runs roughly two and a half to three hours; Centum City is a further subway or taxi ride from there, so budget the extra transfer time.
3Community BIFF Is the Lower-Key Option
- Alongside the 246-film official selection, the festival runs Community BIFF — around 69 additional films aimed at a broader, more casual audience. If the headline galas and star-studded premieres sell out fast, this is where to look for a festival experience without competing for the same tickets everyone else wants.
⚠ Dates, ticket prices, the film lineup and the guest list here follow the festival's announcements as reported in the press when this article was written. They can change, and guest appearances in particular are never guaranteed, so confirm on the official site (biff.kr) before you buy tickets or travel. Mori's Korea is not affiliated with BIFF and doesn't sell tickets.
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