Busan International Film Festival: History and Background

The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF; Korean: 부산국제영화제), formerly the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF), held annually in Haeundae District, Busan, South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. The first festival, held from 13 to 21 September 1996, was also the first international film festival in Korea.

The main focus of the BIFF is to introduce new films and first-time directors, especially those from Asian countries. Another notable feature is the appeal of the festival to young people, both in terms of the large youthful audience it attracts and through its efforts to develop and promote young talent.

In 1999, the Pusan Promotion Plan (renamed Asian Project Market in 2011) was established to connect new directors to funding sources. The 16th BIFF in 2011 saw the festival move to a new permanent home, the Busan Cinema Center in Centum City.

For the 99th Academy Awards, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) introduced a new eligibility pathway for the International Feature Film category through six designated international film festivals and BIFF is the only Asia-based festival included among the qualifying festivals, alongside Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Sundance, and Toronto. BIFF was also recognized as an "A Festival" under the revised accreditation framework of the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) and is one of 17 film festivals worldwide to hold the designation.

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