Busan International Film Festival to Open on October 6; Michelle Yeoh Returns After 15 Years, Maggie Gyllenhaal Makes First Visit to Korea, Masami Nagasawa Also Headed to Busan

[Financial News] World-renowned actors Michelle Yeoh, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Isabelle Huppert will attend this year's Busan International Film Festival. Major Asian stars, including Shu Qi, Zhou Xun and Fan Bingbing from Greater China, as well as Masami Nagasawa, Ryusei Yokohama and Kento Yamazaki from Japan, have also confirmed their trips to Busan. South Korean actors Kim Go-eun, Ryu Seung-ryong, Shin Min-a, Lee Min-ho and Ju Ji-hoon will meet audiences.
According to BIFF on the 2nd, the 31st Busan International Film Festival, running from October 6 to 15, will bring together filmmakers and actors from South Korea and abroad. It will feature an impressive lineup comparable to last year's 30th-anniversary festival.

Hollywood actor and director Maggie Gyllenhaal will visit South Korea for the first time with her new film 'Flesh Impact.' She appeared in Christopher Nolan's 'The Dark Knight' and earned recognition as a director after winning the Best Screenplay award at the Venice International Film Festival for 'The Lost Daughter.' She also served as president of the jury for this year's Venice International Film Festival competition. 'Flesh Impact' was made to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe's birth.
Malaysian actor Michelle Yeoh, the first Asian actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actress, will return to Busan after 15 years to receive the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award. Isabelle Huppert, one of France's leading actors, will meet Busan audiences with her new film 'Tomorrow Has a Name.' Christine Hakim, known as Indonesia's national actor, will also attend.
World-renowned directors will also make their way to the festival. Iranian director Majid Majidi, well known in South Korea for 'Children of Heaven,' will visit the country for the first time with his competition entry 'Bread and Book.' Rintaro, a master of Japanese animation who directed the theatrical film 'Galaxy Express 999,' will attend a Korean film festival for the first time in 25 years to present his acclaimed work 'Metropolis.'
Filipino director Lav Diaz, winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival and the Golden Leopard at the Locarno International Film Festival, will visit South Korea after 10 years. Hong Kong master Ann Hui will attend as the recipient of the Camellia Award, while Hirokazu Kore-eda, a Japanese master beloved by South Korean audiences, will come to Busan with his new film 'Look Back.'
Taiwanese director Tsai Ming-liang, best known for the 'Haengja' series, will return to Busan after attending last year's festival. French director Bertrand Mandico will also attend with his new film 'Roma Elastica,' starring Marion Cotillard.

The lineup of stars representing countries across Asia is equally impressive.
From Greater China, actor-director Shu Qi, who received the Busan Award for Best Director at last year's Busan International Film Festival, will attend alongside leading Chinese actors Zhou Xun and Fan Bingbing.
From Japan, Natsuki Deguchi and Aju Makita, who appeared in Hirokazu Kore-eda's 'Look Back,' will attend. Masami Nagasawa, Tasuku Emoto and Shizuka Ishibashi from the competition entry 'Between Two Lovers,' and Haru Kuroki from 'The Day After Sunday,' will also come to Busan. Ryusei Yokohama from 'You, Like a Star,' Kento Yamazaki and Kohei Matsushita from 'The Door to Murder,' and Shunsuke Michieda and Seira Anzai from 'Beautiful Early Evening Moon' will meet audiences as well.
Eita Nagayama, who appeared in director Han Jun-hee's series 'Blue Road,' and Erika Sawajiri and Ryuhei Maruyama from 'The Chain of Roses' will also attend.
Stars from a new generation will join the lineup. Shuhua of the girl group i-dle will attend the Busan International Film Festival for the first time as an actor. Michelle Mao of 'Bridgerton 4' and Jin Ha of 'Pachinko,' who work across Asia and Hollywood, along with Thailand's leading actor Davika Hoorne, will meet Busan audiences.

Leading South Korean actors and directors will also attend the festival.
The festival's popular Actors' House program will feature six actors: Kim Go-eun, Kim Min-ha, Ryu Seung-ryong, Shin Min-a, Lee Min-ho and Ju Ji-hoon. They will look back on their major works and filmographies, sharing their acting philosophies and behind-the-scenes stories with audiences.
Among South Korean directors, Lee Chang-dong will attend with 'Possible Love,' while Na Hong-jin will bring 'Hope' to Busan.
Director Kim Jee-woon will take part in 'Carte Blanche,' a program in which filmmakers select works to watch with audiences. Kim chose George Miller's 'Mad Max' (1979) and will discuss his tastes and sources of cinematic inspiration. Fan Bingbing selected Park Chan-wook's 'The Handmaiden' (2016), while cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo chose director Krzysztof Kieślowski's 'Three Colours: Blue' (1993).
In addition to the 'Master Class,' where audiences can hear about the cinematic philosophies and creative experiences of master filmmakers, programs including 'Cine Class,' 'Special Talk,' 'Open Talk,' outdoor stage greetings and 'A Very Calm Conversation' will offer opportunities for domestic and international stars to meet audiences in person throughout the festival.
The 31st Busan International Film Festival will be held from October 6 to 15 at the Busan Cinema Center and in Centum City, Haeundae and Nampo-dong. A total of 315 films will be screened. Of these, 246 are official selections from 59 countries, including 95 world premieres. The number of official selections is the highest since 2019.
In the competition section, held for the second time this year, 14 notable films will compete for the top prize, the Busan Award Grand Prize.
[email protected] Shin Jin-a Reporter