Busan Film Festival Director Jung Hanseok Talks Oscars Pathway, New Competition Section & Korean Cinema Recovery
Busan International Film Festival has gained recognition as an A-list festival and a route for its Best Film winner to qualify for Oscars submission, raising its profile among filmmakers. Director Jung Hanseok says the changes are attracting more and stronger submissions, and could establish the festival’s new competition as a meaningful step towards an Oscar campaign.
Busan introduced the competition last year, with awards in six categories; its 14-film line-up this year includes work from China, Taiwan, Japan, Uzbekistan, Indonesia and Iran. The Best Film award is the one linked to Oscar eligibility, while Korean film Possible Love has already been selected as South Korea’s official entry. Chinese director Zhang Yimou leads the seven-person jury.
- Busan has joined the A-list of international film festivals.
- Its Best Film winner can qualify for Oscar submission.
- This year’s competition features 14 films from across Asia.
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The Busan International Film Festival is South Korea's leading annual film showcase and one of the world's most important film events. It has historically been a significant venue for discovering new talent and bringing international and independent films to wider audiences.
Film festivals serve as important stepping stones in the journey towards major awards and wider theatrical release. Busan has now formally joined a select group of prestigious festivals whose best film is eligible to be submitted for Oscar consideration, elevating the festival's standing in the global film industry.
The festival has introduced a new dedicated competition section as part of this positioning. For filmmakers around the world, having their work selected for this competition now represents a pathway towards Oscar eligibility.