The 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has unveiled 23 Korean and Asian independent films for its Vision section, split into 12 titles under Vision-Korea and 11 under Vision-Asia. The Vision section grew out of Korean Cinema Today – Vision, expanding last year into a standalone program covering filmmakers across the continent. This year’s lineup pairs established names still building out distinctive bodies of work with emerging talents who have begun drawing international notice, and it comes with 10 Vision-Asia awards and nine Vision-Korea awards recognizing achievement across a range of categories.
Several Vision-Korea filmmakers return to Busan with festival history behind them. Kim Miyoung, whose “A Lonely Island in the Distant Sea” (2023) won the DGK Megabox Award at BIFF, brings “Some Detective.” Park Songyeol, a past winner of the Critic b Award and the KBS Independent Film Award for “Hot in Day, Cold at Night,” explores family and mortality in “Beyond Love’s Horizon.” Sohn Hyun-lok, whose debut “That Summer’s Lie” took the Fipresci Prize at BIFF in 2023, follows a string of student fall accidents in “The Birds.” Jang Woojin, recognized previously at BIFF and at the Berlin Film Festival, examines love, loss and chance in “Cosmic Trace.” Park Hong-min, whose work has drawn attention from BIFF, the International Film Festival Rotterdam and the Vancouver International Film Festival, continues his recurring cinematic world in “Space.” The rest of the Vision-Korea slate mixes newer voices with directors making the leap to features. Kim Hyomi makes her animated feature debut with “Earbug,” about an aspiring novelist confronting her own trauma.
Park Kun-young, previously behind “To My River” and “A Distance Place,” presents “Things I Left at the Theater.” Shin Dongmin’s “Not For You” traces two brothers reuniting a decade after their father’s departure, while Oh Sehyeon’s “Baler,” a follow-up to 2022’s “Usu,” follows a woman’s month working a seasonal farm job. Shin Sun returns with “Nothing Has Happened Yet” after “No Surprise” and “Maze.” Jeong Jihye’s “Full Moon” follows a girl hiding her parents from public view, and Kim Si-jin makes his first feature with the animated “The Flower,” centered on an aging crematorium director. Both “Not For You” and “Some Detective” made this year’s Asian Cinema Fund fund for films in post-production.
Vision-Asia brings together directors from 10 countries and regions. Vietnam’s Nguyễn Hoàng Điệp presents “1982,” following a filmmaker’s search for a missing parent. Japan’s Kumamoto Ryohei, working from a background in commercials and music videos, makes his feature debut with “After the Song.” Hong Kong’s Isabella Lam Lok-hin debuts with “Dead End,” centered on a man confronting long-buried family history.
The Philippines’ Arvin Belarmino presents “Ria,” about a folk-punk musician fighting to hold onto his music and home. Mongolia’s Sakhya Byamba, who took the New Currents prize at Busan in 2013 for “Remote Control,” returns with the satirical “Zogsool.” The remaining Vision-Asia selections include Iran’s Mani Moghaddam, whose feature debut “Slumber” uses magical realism to address the country’s oppressive realities, and Thailand’s “Bua,” the directorial debut of actor Inthira Charoenpura alongside co-director Phensiri Klangsurin. India is represented twice, with Sailesh Rathnakumar’s debut “Selvi,” produced by and starring acclaimed actor Anjali Patil, and Shashank Walia’s “Birds in the Dark,” the latter from a filmmaker previously known for writing and cinematography work with outlets including Netflix.
Kazakhstan’s Darkhan Tulegenov presents “The Cord,” about a mother fighting to prove her son’s innocence, and Japan’s Yaza Takenoshin, who first drew attention at 16 with a documentary on nuclear power, makes his feature debut with “Hinotama: Ball of Fire.” The 31st Busan International Film Festival will run Oct. 6-15 at the Busan Cinema Center and venues throughout Busan, with the 21st Asian Contents & Film Market held Oct. 10-13.
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