Busan Film Festival Marks 30 Years With Spotlight on Asian Cinema   

• The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a program highlighting defining works of Asian cinema, showcasing films that have shaped the region’s cinematic identity. Titled “Defining Moments of Asian Cinema,” the program is the third edition of BIFF’s Asian Cinema 100 initiative. Film experts from 34 countries selected 119 influential titles, 10 of which will screen at this year’s festival, running Sept. 17-26 in venues throughout Busan. A centerpiece is Iranian director Jafar Panahi’s “This Is Not a Film,” a documentary created in secret while Panahi was under house arrest and barred from filmmaking by Iranian authorities. The work reflects his frustration as an artist silenced by censorship. The festival will also honor Panahi as Asian Filmmaker of the Year. He is the first Asian director to have won top prizes at all three of Europe’s major film festivals: Cannes, Venice, and Berlin. Other notable entries include “Drive My Car” by Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi and “Oldboy” by South Korean director Park Chan-wook, both widely recognized for their impact on global cinema. The new competitive section aims to discover emerging voices and support the growth of the region’s industry. For young film enthusiasts, organizers say the festival offers a rare chance to experience the richness of Asian storytelling and to engage with filmmakers who use cinema as a tool for inspiration and change. Blair For The Junior Times junior/1756433565/1613367844