This year’s line-up of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF, 2 – 11 October 2024) includes more than 60 European films to be presented to an enthusiastic Korean audience, while 28 world sales companies will be joining the EUROPE! HUB at the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM, 5 – 8 October 2024).
biff on europe: miguel gomes and increased number of female filmmakers highlighted
The BIFF will present the entire oeuvre of feature films by renowned Portuguese director Miguel Gomes through a dedicated Special Programme in Focus. In addition, this year’s selection of European cinema displays a noticeable rise in features by female filmmakers, including Harvest and The Substance. Several female directors from Europe will be visiting Busan to meet the festival’s audience, including Patricia Mazuy of Visiting Hours, Marie-Magdalena Kochová of The Other One, Margherita Vicario of Gloria!, and Dea Kulumbegashvili of April.
The BIFF’s programmer Seo Seunghee remarks, “It is our greatest pleasure to present so many brilliant European films at the Busan International Film Festival this year. The Special Programme in Focus ‘Miguel GOMES: a filmmaker of Joyful Melancholy’, will most definitely be an invaluable opportunity to meet and converse with one of Europe’s finest cineastes. This year, the European artistic delegation, including more than 30 filmmakers and producers will visit Busan to converse with BIFF audiences. Notably there is a significant rise in the number of female directors attending compared to previous years, adding an important highlight to this year’s festival.”
european directors highlighted in the flash forward section
The Flash Forward section showcases innovative and original first or second features of non-Asian directors. Of the 11 directors whose works are showcased in this section, nine are from Europe, including Rungano Nyoni of On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, Jonathan Millet of Ghost Trail, Tallulah H. Schwab of Mr. K, and Jethro Massey of Paul and Paulette Take a Bath. Directors Laurynas Bareiša of Drowning Dry, Louise Courvoisier of Holy Cow, Milad Tangshir of Anywhere Anytime, Antonella Sudasassi Furniss of Memories of a Burning Body and further artists will be visiting Busan in person this year.
networking event with european talents
The EUROPE! Cocktail, hosted in collaboration with BIFF and Cinecittà, will bring together European talent —including directors, actors, producers and sales agents - with the South Korean and Asian industry. Attendees include Miguel Gomes, Leos Carax (It’s Not Me), Magnus von Horn (The Girl with the Needle), Göran Hugo Olsson (Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989), and Mo Harawe (The Village Next to Paradise), to name a few.
“We are thrilled to witness such a strong representation of European films across eight sections of the BIFF’s programmes. This festival plays an essential role in extending the reach of European cinema beyond its national borders. The enthusiastic reactions from the festival audience highlight BIFF’s importance as a key promotional platform for European films in the region. Both the festival and the Asian Contents & Film Market serve as crucial hubs for promoting European films globally,” says Jo Mühlberger, Deputy Managing Director of EFP.
The EUROPE! Cocktail at BIFF and the EUROPE! HUB at the AC&FM 2024 is made possible thanks to the support from the Creative Europe MEDIA Programme of the European Union.
The 29th Busan International Film Festival will be taking place for ten days, from 2 to 11 October, at the Busan Cinema Center and at surrounding areas.