From left: actress Do Thi Hai Yen, director Nguyen Hoang Diep, and actress Thuy Anh in '1982.' Photo: Supplied
The festival, scheduled for October 6-15, will screen 315 films, including 246 officially selected titles from 59 countries and territories.
Vietnam’s five-film line-up matches its previous record set in 2019, but this year the films are spread across more sections.
Among the highlights is director Nguyen Hoang Diep’s 1982, which has been selected for the Vision – Asia section, competing alongside films from some of Asia’s major film industries, including Japan, China, India, Iran, Hong Kong, and Kazakhstan.
Director Nguyen Hoang Diep makes her return with '1982,' which has been selected to compete at the Busan International Film Festival. Photo: Supplied
1982 is eligible for around 10 different awards, including two prestigious honors with international recognition: the NETPAC Award, which supports and promotes Asian cinema, and the FIPRESCI Award presented by the International Federation of Film Critics.
Other awards for which the film is eligible include the Bishkek Award, Heart of Eurasia Award, Face of the Future Award, Hylife Award, IFFI Vision Asia Award, Taipei Film Commission Award, Vision of Jiseok Award, and Songwon Audience Award.
1982 marks Nguyen Hoang Diep’s return to independent filmmaking after a 12-year absence following her acclaimed debut feature Flapping in the Middle of Nowhere.
Partly autobiographical and structured as a 'film within a film,' 1982 explores the creative paralysis of a female filmmaker after the success of her debut film, intertwined with personal and existential crises.
One of the film’s most striking elements is the subtle connection it draws between the protagonist’s creative stagnation and her private life.
The film also carries a distinctly feminine sensibility, supported by a sharp screenplay and compelling performances from its female cast.
Its ending, in particular, leaves a powerful emotional resonance and lasting impression.
Another Vietnamese film making its world premiere at BIFF is veteran director Ham Tran’s Red Thread, selected for the Midnight Passion section.
Director Ham Tran brings 'Red Thread' to the 31st Busan International Film Festival. Photo: Supplied
The section features late-night screenings of thrillers, horror films, and other genre titles.
Following the success of the action crime film Hijacked, Ham Tran returns to horror, a genre he previously explored in Hollow and the Netflix series The Devil’s Diner.
Red Thread, categorized by BIFF as crime, violence, horror, supernatural, and revenge, is scheduled for theatrical release in Vietnam in December.
Two other Vietnamese titles, Le Bao’s Hearing and Nguyen Phan Quang Binh’s Spirit Guardians: The Last Secret of the First Emperor, have been selected for A Window on Asian Cinema.
Le Bao’s 'Hearing' and Nguyen Phan Quang Binh’s 'Spirit Guardians: The Last Secret of the First Emperor' have been selected for screening in the A Window on Asian Cinema section. Photo: Supplied
The section features 24 Asian films screened out of competition.
Hearing previously competed at Switzerland’s Locarno Film Festival and received positive reviews, while Spirit Guardians was released in Vietnam during the National Day holiday.
The fifth Vietnamese entry is Baby Jackfruit Baby Guava, a documentary by young director Nong Nhat Quang, selected for the Wide Angle: Documentary Showcase section.
The film, Nong’s directorial debut, previously competed at Switzerland’s Visions du Réel documentary festival, where it won a Special Jury Award.
Young director Nong Nhat Quang brings his debut documentary 'Baby Jackfruit Baby Guava to Busan.' Photo: Supplied
Busan Awards best film to be considered for Oscar race
The Busan International Film Festival was founded in 1996, at a time when South Korean cinema was beginning to boom and expand its global reach.
Last year, the festival celebrated its 30th anniversary and has grown into one of the world’s major international film festivals, alongside Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Toronto, and Sundance.
Starting in 2027, the winner of the Best Film prize at the Busan Awards will be eligible for consideration in the Best International Feature Film category at the Academy Awards.
This year, 14 films have been selected for the official Competition section of the 31st Busan International Film Festival, with most coming from major Asian film industries such as Japan, South Korea, China, and Iran.
Among the most notable entries is Midday Meal by veteran Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi.
Born in 1959, Majidi is one of the leading figures in contemporary Iranian cinema, known for films exploring social issues, poverty, and the innocence of children.
His internationally acclaimed works include Children of Heaven, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1998, The Color of Paradise (1999), and The Song of Sparrows (2008).
This is the first time a film by Majid Majidi has been selected for the official Competition section at the Busan International Film Festival.
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