The 26th Busan Independent Film Festival... Cinema Center and Musai Theater to Open on the 21st

November 21-25, 'Cinema Center·Musai Theater' Opens... 50 Films Including 5 Competition Categories and Domestic and International Invitations Screened

Opening Film Director Lee Chang-woo's Feature 'Night Ghost', Korean Feminist Film Pioneer Kang Yu-garam Selected for 'Deep Focus' Section

Busan City announced that the 26th Busan Independent Film Festival will be held for five days from November 21 to 25 at the Busan Cinema Center Cinematheque and Musai Theater.

Poster of the 26th Busan Independent Film Festival.

The festival is sponsored by the city and hosted and organized by the Busan Independent Film Association.

The 'Busan Independent Film Festival' will screen a total of 50 domestic and international feature and short films, including five competition categories, starting with the opening ceremony at 7 p.m. on the 21st at the Busan Cinema Center Cinematheque.

Various programs, including the ‘Deep Focus’ section introducing significant figures in the Korean independent film scene, await the audience with 50 independent films.

In the ‘Made in Busan’ section, a total of 72 films (67 shorts and 5 features) were submitted, with 16 works advancing to the finals.

This year’s opening ceremony will be hosted by actors Ki Jin-woo and Lee Jeong-min, both of whom star in director Lee Ha-ram’s upcoming film ‘Mwo Geureongeoji’ in the ‘Spectrum Busan-Now’ section, which introduces new works of Busan independent films, making them actors to watch in the future.

The opening film this year is director Lee Chang-woo’s feature ‘Night Ghost,’ produced using body cameras attached to female substitute drivers in the Busan area.

Director Lee previously won the Golden Lion at the 2012 Venice Film Festival for his representative work ‘Pieta’ (2012).

‘Night Ghost’ offers a precious perspective that grants dignity to those represented as small dots on the map through a substitute driver call application.

This year, among the 16 feature and short films competing in the ‘Made in Busan’ section, a total of 50 films will be screened, including ‘Gavi’ by director Kim Min-geun, who was selected as a creator in Busan through the 2024 ‘Busan Intercity Residency Film Production Project.’

After screening three films?‘Gavi’ (Kim Min-geun), ‘Magic Daddy’ (Seo Han-sol), and ‘Pink Shadow of the City’ (Lee Seung-hwa)?a talk session with the audience is scheduled.

Additionally, the ‘Spectrum Busan-Now’ section, which introduces independent films by both emerging and established directors, has significantly expanded its lineup, expected to showcase Busan’s role in sustaining the local film ecosystem.

In the ‘Deep Focus’ section, which reviews notable achievements in Korean independent cinema, director Kang Yu-garam, a pioneer of Korean feminist film, has been selected.

After screening Kang Yu-garam’s work ‘The Uncertain Wall of the City,’ a ‘Cinetalk’ with the director reflecting on his activities translating life practices into film will be held.

At the ‘Making Films’ roundtable, an event promoting the sustainability of local films and culture at the Busan Independent Film Festival, new works will be presented, and directors preparing new projects will be invited to share their production environments.

This event will be an engaging time not only for independent film professionals but also for audiences.

Online ticket reservations for the festival will be available from noon on November 21 on the websites of the Busan Cinema Center and Musai Theater, respectively.

Musai Theater located in Hwamyung-dong, Busan.

Detailed information about the festival’s programs and schedule can be found on the Busan Independent Film Association’s website and official social media channels.

Film Festival Schedule.

Shim Jae-min, Director of the City’s Culture and Sports Bureau, stated, “This year is especially meaningful as Busan has been selected as the ‘UNESCO Creative Cities Network Chair City in the Film Category.’ We will continue to strive to discover new values through various independent films at the 26th Busan Independent Film Festival.”