Busan International Film Festival opens on the 6th... "10-day Asian film festival"

[Dispatch=Lee Myung-ju Reporter] The Busan Film Festival is beginning its 10-day journey.

The 31st Busan International Film Festival opening ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. on the 6th at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae-gu, Busan. Actor Kim Min-ha will serve as sole host.

This year's film festival has officially invited 247 films from 59 countries. Including Community Beef screenings, a total of 316 films can be encountered.

The proportion of world premieres is higher than any previous year. Among official screening works, 93 films are world premieres. There are also 10 international premieres.

14 films have been selected for the competition section, which is in its second year. Films including new works by Korean directors Im Ha-yeon and Kim Jung-hoon compete for the 'Busan Award' across five categories.

Through the 'Icon' section, new works by masters are also introduced. 35 films including director Lee Chang-dong's 'A Possible Love' and director Hong Sang-soo's 'Nowhere to Turn' will be presented.

Figures from the film industry can also be met. American actor and director Maggie Gyllenhaal, director Alfonso Cuarón, and Isabelle Huppert will visit, among others.

Special programs have also been prepared. 'Beautiful Days, Ahn Sung-ki,' which looks back on the filmography of the late Ahn Sung-ki, and a special section on Japanese animation will be coming.

Beyond that, there are Community Beef and Neighborhood Beef, audience participation events. The scope is expanded not only to the Nampo-dong area of Busan but also to Yangsan and Seoul.

Meanwhile, the Busan Film Festival opening ceremony will be exclusively live-streamed on Naver Zezee.