The 30th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) wrapped up its 10-day celebration of cinema on Friday, marking a milestone year as Asia's premier film festival successfully launched its first competitive awards section. Despite ongoing challenges in South Korea's domestic film industry, the festival attracted 175,889 visitors, representing an increase of approximately 20,000 attendees compared to the previous year's event.
The festival's grand finale took place at the outdoor stage of the Busan Cinema Center, where the inaugural Busan Award winners were announced to conclude this landmark edition. Chinese director Zhang Lu's film "Gloaming in Luomu" received the prestigious Best Film Award, which is considered the competition's highest honor. The movie was selected unanimously by the jury panel, which was chaired by acclaimed director Na Hong-jin.
Zhang Lu, who previously won BIFF's New Currents Award for emerging filmmakers in 2005, expressed his deep emotional connection to the festival during his acceptance speech. "I stand here again after 20 years," Zhang said at the ceremony. "I hope to be on this stage when BIFF celebrates its 100th anniversary." His winning film "Gloaming in Luomu" tells the story of a woman's journey as she traces the presence of a former lover in a small Chinese town.
The jury praised Zhang's work for its experimental cinematographic approach and its insightful exploration of human emotions, particularly how people cope with love and loss. Festival Director Jung Han-seok declared the newly introduced competitive section a success, stating that organizers will use this year's results as a foundation for future growth and development of the competition.
BIFF organizers revealed impressive attendance figures during a press conference held before the closing ceremony, demonstrating the festival's continued growth and international appeal. A total of 175,889 audience members watched 328 films throughout the festival's duration, while approximately 63,000 visitors participated in various events held across Busan during the festival period.
The Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM), which serves as a crucial indicator of the festival's industrial significance and competitiveness, achieved record-breaking numbers this year. The four-day market event attracted an all-time high of 30,006 participants representing 1,222 companies from 54 different countries around the world.
ACFM Director Kim Young-deok highlighted the market's global reach and international character, noting that 60 percent of registered industry professionals were overseas attendees. "ACFM can now be highlighted as the most global platform in Asia," Kim said, emphasizing the market's growing international influence and connectivity within the Asian film industry.
However, concerns about the festival's long-term financial sustainability were also addressed by the organizing committee during the press conference. The festival operated on a total budget of approximately 13 billion won ($9.2 million) this year, but organizers expressed worry about the declining proportion of government financial support for the event.
BIFF Chair Park Kwang-su revealed that government funding now constitutes less than 4 percent of the festival's total budget, representing a dramatic decrease from the 20 percent government support the festival received in 2022. Park drew comparisons to other world-renowned film festivals, noting that major international events like the Cannes Film Festival, Venice International Film Festival, and Berlin International Film Festival typically receive more than 50 percent of their operating budgets from government and local authority support.
The festival chair stressed that BIFF must increasingly depend on external corporate sponsors, including major brands like Chanel, Netflix, and Genesis, to maintain its operations and continue growing its international presence. Park urged the South Korean government to provide more proactive and substantial support to help BIFF strengthen its position as a truly global film festival and maintain its status as Asia's leading cinematic event.
