Busan International Film Festival
The Busan International Film Festival, formerly the Pusan International Film Festival, held annually in Haeundae District, Busan, South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. The first festival, held from 13 to 21 September 1996, was also the first international film festival in Korea.
The main focus of the BIFF is to introduce new films and first-time directors, especially those from Asian countries. Another notable feature is the appeal of the festival to young people, both in terms of the large youthful audience it attracts and through its efforts to develop and promote young talent.
In 1999, the Pusan Promotion Plan was established to connect new directors to funding sources. The 16th BIFF in 2011 saw the festival move to a new permanent home, the Busan Cinema Center in Centum City.
History
1990s
- 1st Busan International Film Festival, 13–21 September 1996
- 2nd Busan International Film Festival, 10–18 October 1997
- 3rd Busan International Film Festival, 24 September – 1 October 1998
- 4th Busan International Film Festival, 14–23 October 1999
2000s
- 5th Busan International Film Festival, 6–14 October 2000
- 6th Busan International Film Festival, 9–17 November 2001
- 7th Busan International Film Festival, 14–23 November 2002
- 8th Busan International Film Festival, 2–10 October 2003
- 9th Busan International Film Festival, 7–15 October 2004
- 10th Busan International Film Festival, 6–14 October 2005
- 11th Busan International Film Festival, 12–20 October 2006
- 12th Busan International Film Festival, 4–12 October 2007
- 13th Busan International Film Festival, 2–10 October 2008
- 14th Busan International Film Festival, 8–16 October 2009
2010s
- 15th Busan International Film Festival, 7–15 October 2010
- 16th Busan International Film Festival, 6–14 October 2011
- 17th Busan International Film Festival, 4–13 October 2012
- 18th Busan International Film Festival, 3–12 October 2013
- 19th Busan International Film Festival, 2–11 October 2014
- 20th Busan International Film Festival, 1–10 October 2015
- 21st Busan International Film Festival, 6–15 October 2016
- 22nd Busan International Film Festival, 12–21 October 2017
- 23rd Busan International Film Festival, 4–13 October 2018
- 24th Busan International Film Festival, 3–12 October 2019
2020s
- 25th Busan International Film Festival, 21–30 October 2020
- 26th Busan International Film Festival, 6 to 15 October 2021
- 27th Busan International Film Festival, 5 to 14 October 2022.
- 28th Busan International Film Festival, 4 to 13 October 2023.
- 29th Busan International Film Festival, 2 to 11 October 2024.
- 30th Busan International Film Festival, 17 to 26 September 2025. Starting with this edition, the festival introduced a new competition section to Asian cinema. This section showcased around 14 selected Asian films competing for five major honors: the Grand Prize, Best Director, Special Jury Prize, Best Actor/Actress, and Award for Artistic Contribution. Marking a significant departure from tradition, the film that wins the Grand Prize is presented as the festival’s closing screening, replacing the previously chosen standalone title.
Official program sections
The Busan International Film Festival is organised in various sections- Competition section for Asian cinema: From its 30th edition in 2025, the festival launched a competition section for the Asian cinema. Fourteen Asian films will compete in the festival’s official competition, contending for five primary awards: the Grand Prize, Best Director, Special Jury Prize, Best Actor/Actress, and Artistic Contribution. The film awarded the Grand Prize will be presented as the festival’s closing feature instead of separately selected film.
- Gala Presentation: Gala Presentation screens new master cineastes, films, and premieres.
- Icons: A showcase of the latest films of contemporary iconic filmmakers from around the world.
- Vision: This section showcases the latest independent films from Korea and Asia with outstanding artistry and original vision. Various awards are given out.
- A Window on Asian Cinema: A showcase of new and/or representative films by Asian filmmakers.
- Korean Cinema Today: Selected Korean feature films are shown in three sub-sections, Special Premiere, Panorama and Vision. These three sub-sections recognise the current production trend of Korean cinema and anticipate its future.
- Korean Cinema Retrospective: Revisiting the history of Korean cinema by spotlighting films of a certain notable director or films with a significant theme.
- World Cinema: Presentation of new works by filmmakers along with films that help understanding the recent trends in world cinema.
- Flash Forward: This section is a collection of first or second films of up-and-coming filmmakers from non-Asian countries.
- Wide Angle: A section showing short films, animation, documentaries, and experimental films.
- Open Cinema: outdoor screening venue where a collection of new films, combining both art and mass popularity, are shown.
- Midnight Passion: A collection of horror, SF, and thriller films that are certain to keep diehard film fans awake throughout the night.
- On Screen: Presentation of highly anticipated or most talked about drama series of the year.
- Special Programs in Focus /Special Planning Program: A retrospective and special showcase of films of a certain notable director or genre.
- Withdrawn sections
- *Jiseok: A competition section for established Asian filmmakers with three or more feature films. The two best films are presented with the Kim Jiseok Award.The award was created in commemoration of the late Kim Jiseok, program director who devoted his life to nurture and support Asian cinema.
- *New Currents: The only international competition section featuring the first or the second feature films by future directors of Asian cinema.
Official divisions
- Asian Contents & Film Market : Launched in 2006 as a marketplace for the industry events at the Busan International Film Festival.
- *Asian Project Market is a pre-market.
- Asian Cinema Fund: The Asian Cinema Fund is a funding program to help activate more independent film productions and to set up a stable production environment. It supports projects in various stages and categories. The 900 million won Asian Cinema Fund will be used to provide support to seven projects in script development, five post-productions, and thirteen documentary films.
- * The Script Development Fund is aimed at helping screenwriters complete their scripts.
- * The Post-Production Fund is made possible through the support of Korean post-production companies and the Korean Film Council. With this fund, the director is invited to Korea to work on sound and DI with Korean post-production houses. It will help the director complete his or her film in 35mm.
- * The Asian Network of Documentary Fund was initiated in 2002 and sponsored by six universities and corporations in the Busan region. As a part of the Busan International Film Festival, and holds master classes and clinics to stabilise the environment for documentary productions.
- BIFF Asian Film Academy is an educational program where prospective filmmakers and established directors from Asia gather to deliberate and prepare for the future of Asian cinema.
- Busan Cinema Forum is an academic event for filmmakers and scholars, launched on 10 October 2011. It aims to enhance the knowledge and support of the film industry and film aesthetics.
- Platform BUSAN
- BIFF Film Academy
- '''Community BIFF'''
Direction and management
Chairpersons:- 1996–1998: Moon Jung-soo
- 1998–2004: Ahn Sang-yeong
- 2004–2014: Hur Nam-sik
- 2014–2016: Suh Byung-soo
- 2016–2017: Kim Dong-ho
- 2018–2023: Lee Yong-gwan
- 2024-: Park Kwang-su
- 1996–2010: Kim Dong-ho
- 2007–2016: Lee Yong-gwan
- 2015–2017: Kang Soo-yeon
- 2018–2020: Jeon Yang-jun
- 2021–2023: Huh Moon-yung
- 2025–present: Jung Hanseok
- 2023: Cho Jong-kook
Awards
A number of awards are handed out each year, including:The Asian Filmmaker of the Year
The Asian Filmmaker of the Year is granted to the Asian filmmaker who has made the most significant contribution to the advancement of Asian film industry and culture throughout the year.| No. | Year | Name | Country/Region |
| 8 | 2003 | Mohsen Makhmalbaf | Iran |
| 9 | 2004 | Hou Hsiao-hsien | Taiwan |
| 10 | 2005 | NHK | Japan |
| 11 | 2006 | Andy Lau | Hong Kong |
| 12 | 2007 | Edward Yang | Taiwan |
| 13 | 2008 | Gulnara Sarsenova | Kazakhstan |
| 14 | 2009 | Yash Chopra | India |
| 15 | 2010 | Tsai Ming-liang | Taiwan |
| 16 | 2011 | Tsui Hark | Hong Kong |
| 17 | 2012 | Kōji Wakamatsu | Japan |
| 18 | 2013 | Rithy Panh | Cambodia |
| 19 | 2014 | Ann Hui | Hong Kong |
| 20 | 2015 | Studio Ghibli | Japan |
| 21 | 2016 | Abbas Kiarostami | Iran |
| 22 | 2017 | Seijun Suzuki | Japan |
| 23 | 2018 | Ryuichi Sakamoto | Japan |
| 24 | 2019 | Hirokazu Kore-eda | Japan |
| 26 | 2021 | Im Kwon-taek | South Korea |
| 27 | 2022 | Tony Leung | Hong Kong, China |
| 28 | 2023 | Chow Yun-fat | Hong Kong |
| 29 | 2024 | Kiyoshi Kurosawa | Japan |
| 30 | 2025 | Jafar Panahi | Iran |
Korean Cinema Award
The Korean Cinema Award is presented to cineastes that have made a notable contribution in the globalization of Korean cinema.| No. | Year | Name | Country |
| 1 | 1996 | Adriano Aprà | Italy |
| 1 | 1996 | Tony Rayns | UK |
| 1 | 1996 | Alain Jalladeau | France |
| 1 | 1996 | Ulrich Gregor | Germany |
| 1 | 1996 | Larry Kadish | USA |
| 1 | 1996 | Ancha Flubacher-Rhim | Switzerland |
| 1 | 1996 | Simon Field | UK |
| 2 | 1997 | Aruna Vasudev | India |
| 2 | 1997 | Sato Tadao | Japan |
| 3 | 1998 | Gilles Jacob | France |
| 3 | 1998 | Moritz de Hadeln | Germany |
| 4 | 1999 | Serge Losique | Canada |
| 4 | 1999 | Lee Young-il | South Korea |
| 5 | 2000 | Martin & Anna Louisa Girod | Switzerland |
| 6 | 2001 | Eva Zaoralová | Czech Republic |
| 7 | 2002 | Alain Patel | France |
| 8 | 2003 | Park Byoung-yang | Japan |
| 8 | 2003 | Lee Bong-ou | Japan |
| 9 | 2004 | Yano Kazuyki | Japan |
| 9 | 2004 | Phillip Cheah | Singapore |
| 10 | 2005 | Dieter Kosslick | Germany |
| 10 | 2005 | Thierry Fremaux | France |
| 11 | 2006 | Martial Knaebell | Switzerland |
| 11 | 2006 | Terawaki Ken | Japan |
| 12 | 2007 | Sabrina Baracetti | Italy |
| 12 | 2007 | Jean-Francois Rauger | France |
| 13 | 2008 | Richard Pena | USA |
| 14 | 2009 | Riccardo Gelli | Italy |
| 14 | 2009 | Jeannette Paulson Hereniko | USA |
| 15 | 2010 | Bruno Barde | France |
| 16 | 2011 | Julietta Sichel | Czech Republic |
| 17 | 2012 | Hayashi Kanako | Japan |
| 18 | 2013 | Charles Tesson | France |
| 19 | 2014 | Corinne Siegrist-Oboussier | Switzerland |
| 20 | 2015 | Wieland Speck | German |
| 21 | 2016 | Laurence Herszberg | France |
| 22 | 2017 | Christoph Terhechte | Germany |
| 23 | 2018 | Martine Thérouanne | France |
| 23 | 2018 | Jean-Marc Thérouanne | France |
| 24 | 2019 | Bae Yongjae | South Korea |
| 24 | 2019 | Yoo Dongsuk | South Korea |
| 26 | 2021 | Lee Choon-yun | South Korea |
| 27 | 2022 | Goran Topalovic | US |
| 28 | 2023 | Yoon Jeong-hee | South Korea |
| 29 | 2024 | Lee Sun-kyun | South Korea |
| 30 | 2025 | Chung Ji-young | South Korea |
The Choon-yun Award
The Choon-yun Award was established in honor of the late Chairman of the Korean Association of Film Art & Industry, Lee Choon-yun. This award is given to one newly emerging producer with a cash prize of KRW 10,000,000, sponsored by IOK Company.| No. | Year | Name | Country |
| 27 | 2022 | Baek Jaeho | South Korea |
| 28 | 2023 | Kim Ji-yeon | South Korea |
| 29 | 2024 | Park Kwan-su | South Korea |
New Currents Award
The New Currents Award is given to the two best feature films selected from the first or second feature of new Asian directors introduced in the New Currents section. A grand prize of USD 30,000 is awarded to each film. The jury consists of world-renowned film experts who will choose winners to discover and encourage the hidden jewels of Asian cinema.| No. | Year | Film | Director | Country/Region |
| 1 | 1996 | Rain Clouds over Wushan | Zhang Ming | China |
| 2 | 1997 | Motel Cactus | Park Ki-yong | South Korea |
| 3 | 1998 | Xiao Wu | Jia Zhangke | China |
| 4 | 1999 | Timeless Melody | Hiroshi Okuhara | Japan |
| 5 | 2000 | The Day I Became a Woman | Marziyeh Meshkini | Iran |
| 6 | 2001 | Flower Island | Song Il-gon | South Korea |
| 7 | 2002 | Jealousy Is My Middle Name | Park Chan-ok | South Korea |
| 7 | 2002 | The Rite... A Passion | K.N.T. Sastry | India |
| 8 | 2003 | The Missing | Lee Kang-sheng | Taiwan |
| 8 | 2003 | Tiny Snowflakes | Alireza Amini | Iran |
| 9 | 2004 | This Charming Girl | Lee Yun-ki | South Korea |
| 10 | 2005 | Grain in Ear | Zhang Lu | China |
| 11 | 2006 | Betelnut | Heng Yang | China |
| 11 | 2006 | [Love Conquers All (2006 film)|Love Conquers All] | Tan Chui Mui | Malaysia |
| 12 | 2007 | Wonderful Town | Aditya Assarat | Thailand |
| 12 | 2007 | Life Track | Guang Hao Jin | China/Korea |
| 12 | 2007 | Flower in the Pocket | Liew Seng Tat | Malaysia |
| 13 | 2008 | Land of Scarecrows | Roh Gyeong-tae | South Korea |
| 13 | 2008 | Naked of Defenses | Masahide Ichii | Japan |
| 14 | 2009 | Kick Off | Shawkat Amin Korki | Iraq/Japan |
| 14 | 2009 | I'm in Trouble | So Sang-min | South Korea |
| 15 | 2010 | The Journals of Musan | Park Jung-bum | South Korea |
| 15 | 2010 | Bleak Night | Yoon Sung-hyun | South Korea |
| 16 | 2011 | Mourning | Morteza Farshbaf | Iran |
| 16 | 2011 | Nino | Loy Arcenas | Philippines |
| 17 | 2012 | 36 | Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit | Thailand |
| 17 | 2012 | Kayan | Maryam Najafi | Lebanon/Canada |
| 18 | 2013 | Pascha | Ahn Sun-kyoung | South Korea |
| 18 | 2013 | Remote Control | Byamba Sakhya | Mongolia/Germany |
| 19 | 2014 | End of Winter | Kim Dae-hwan | South Korea |
| 20 | 2015 | Immortal | Seyed Hadi Mohaghegh | Iran |
| 20 | 2015 | Walnut Tree | Yerlan Nurmukhambetov | Kazakhstan |
| 21 | 2016 | The Donor | Zang Qiwu | China |
| 21 | 2016 | Knife in the Clear Water | Wang Xuebo | China |
| 22 | 2017 | After My Death | Kim Ui-seok | Korea |
| 22 | 2017 | Blockage | Mohsen Gharaei | Iran |
| 23 | 2018 | Clean Up | Kwon Man-ki | South Korea |
| 23 | 2018 | Savage | Cui Siwei | China |
| 24 | 2019 | Haifa Street | Mohanad Hayal | Iraq/Qatar |
| 24 | 2019 | Rom | Tran Thanh Huy | Vietnam |
| 25 | 2020 | A Balance | Harumoto Yujiro | Japan |
| 25 | 2020 | Three | Ruslan Pak | Kazakhstan/ Korea/ Uzbekistan |
| 26 | 2021 | The Apartment with Two Women | Kim Se-in | South Korea |
| 26 | 2021 | Farewell, My Hometown | Wang Er Zhou | China |
| 27 | 2022 | a Wild Roomer | Lee Jeong-hong | South Korea |
| 27 | 2022 | Shivamma | Jaishankar Aryar | India |
| 28 | 2023 | Boli – The Wrestler | Iqbal Chowdhury | Bangladesh |
| 28 | 2023 | September 1923 | Tatsuya Mori | Japan |
Kim Jiseok Award
The KIM Jiseok Award, Established in 2017, is to remember and honor the late Kim Jiseok who devoted his whole life to discovering and supporting the growth of Asian cinema. The award is given to the films in the competition category for the Korean and Asian directors who have directed more than 3 feature films, and two best films are selected and awarded a cash prize of USD 10,000 each sponsored by BIFF Supporters Association.| No. | Year | Film | Director | Country/Region |
| 22 | 2017 | Malila: The Farewell Flower | Anucha Boonyawatana | Thailand |
| 22 | 2017 | The Scythian Lamb | Daihachi Yoshida | Japan |
| 23 | 2018 | The Rib | Zhang Wei | China |
| 23 | 2018 | Rona, Azim's Mother | Jamshid Mahmoudi | Afghanistan/Iran |
| 24 | 2019 | Circus of Life | Sarmad Khoosat | Pakistan |
| 24 | 2019 | Market | Pradip Kurbah | India |
| 25 | 2020 | Drowning in Holy Water | Navid Mahmoudi | Afghanistan/Iran |
| 25 | 2020 | The Slaughterhouse | Abbas Amini | Iran |
| 26 | 2021 | The Rapist | Aparna Sen | India |
| 26 | 2021 | Gensan Punch | Brillante Mendoza | Philippines |
| 27 | 2022 | Scent of Wind | Seyed Hadi Mohaghegh | Iran |
| 27 | 2022 | Alteration | Yalkin Tuychiev | Uzbekistan |
| 28 | 2023 | Paradise | Prasanna Vithanage | Sri Lanka |
| 28 | 2023 | Bride Abduction | Mirlan Abdikhalikov | Kyrgyzstan |
BIFF Mecenat Award
BIFF Mecenat Award is granted to the best documentary from Korea and Asia in Wide Angle competitive section. The winner will be granted KRW 10,000,000 with the purpose of assisting their next production.Sonje Award
Sonje Award is given to the best Korean and Asian short films in the Wide Angle section, to assist them in producing next project by providing KRW 10,000,000 to each director.| No. | Year | Film | Director | Country/Region |
| 1 | 1996 | Arrival of the Train | Andrej Sheleznjakov | Russia |
| 2 | 1997 | The Saltmen of Tibet | Ulrike Koch | Switzerland |
| 3 | 1998 | Lachrymal | Lim Chang-jae | South Korea |
| 3 | 1998 | Heavy | Park Chan-ok | South Korea |
| 4 | 1999 | 28 October 1979, A Sunny Sunday | Kwon Jong-kwan | South Korea |
| 5 | 2000 | Bardo | Yoon Young-ho | South Korea |
| 6 | 2001 | Siam Hard Romance | Kim Jeong-gu | South Korea |
| 7 | 2002 | Chapter Two: How to Breathe | Lee Hyung-suk | South Korea |
| 8 | 2003 | The Spring and the Delight | Park Jung-seon | South Korea |
| 8 | 2003 | The Third Tongue | Son Kwang-ju | South Korea |
| 9 | 2004 | Punk Eek | Son Kwang-ju | South Korea |
| 9 | 2004 | Gold Fish | Park Shin-woo | South Korea |
| 10 | 2005 | Tea & Poison | Joung Yong-ju | South Korea |
| 10 | 2005 | A Bowl of Tea | Kim Young-nam | South Korea |
| 11 | 2006 | Portfolio | Yoon Seong-ho | South Korea |
| 11 | 2006 | The Wind Stirs | Lee Jin-woo | South Korea |
| 12 | 2007 | Woong's Story | Lee Ha-song | South Korea |
| 12 | 2007 | A Man Under the Influenza | Jung July | South Korea |
| 13 | 2008 | Andong | Rommel Tolentino | Philippines |
| 13 | 2008 | Girl | Hong Sung-hoon | South Korea |
| 14 | 2009 | Somewhere Unreached | Kim Jae-won | South Korea |
| 14 | 2009 | Rare Fish | Basil Mironer | Singapore/Indonesia |
| 15 | 2010 | Broken Night | Yang Hyo-joo | South Korea |
| 15 | 2010 | Inhalation | Edmund Yeo | Malaysia/Japan |
| 16 | 2011 | See You Tomorrow | Lee Woo-jung | South Korea |
| 16 | 2011 | Thug Beram | Venkat Amudhan | India |
| 17 | 2012 | The Night of The Witness | Park Buem | South Korea |
| 17 | 2012 | A Little Farther | Nikan Nezami | Iran |
| 18 | 2013 | A Lady Caddy Who Never Saw a Hole in One | Yosep Anggi Noen | Indonesia |
| 18 | 2013 | In the Summer | Son Tae-gyum | South Korea |
| 19 | 2014 | Stairway | Matt Wu | Taiwan |
| 19 | 2014 | The Night | Choi Ki-yun | South Korea |
| 20 | 2015 | Nia's Door | Lau Kek Huat | Taiwan |
| 20 | 2015 | Shame Diary | Lee Eun-jeong | South Korea |
| 21 | 2016 | Off-season | Yelzat Eskendir | Kazakhstan |
| 21 | 2016 | Viewer | Kim So-youn | South Korea |
| 22 | 2017 | A Hand-written Poster | Kwak Eun-mi | South Korea |
| 22 | 2017 | Madonna | Sinung Winahyoko | Indonesia |
| 23 | 2018 | Cat Day Afternoon | Kwon Sung-mo | South Korea |
| 23 | 2018 | Nooreh | Ashish Pandey | India |
| 24 | 2019 | Dragon's Tail | Saeed Keshavarz | Iran |
| 24 | 2019 | Hello | Jin Seong-moon | South Korea |
| 25 | 2020 | Georgia | Jayil Pak | South Korea |
| 25 | 2020 | Mountain Cat | Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir | Mongolia/United Kingdom |
| 26 | 2021 | A Winter Glove | Lee Hyeonju | South Korea |
| 26 | 2021 | The Sea Calls for Me | Tumpal Tampubolon | Indonesia |
| 27 | 2022 | Southern Afternoon | Lan Tian | China |
| 27 | 2022 | I'm Here | Jeong Eunuk | South Korea |
| 28 | 2023 | MYDEAR | Jeon Do-hee, Kim So-hee | South Korea |
| 28 | 2023 | 21 weeks later | Nasreen Mohammadpur | Iran |
Actor & Actress of the Year
The Actor of the Year is the award to focus on the newcomer in the independent Korean films among the New Currents and Korean Cinema Today – Vision section. The renowned Korean actor and actress select one actor and one actress with outstanding performance. The winners will be awarded at the closing ceremony with a cash prize of KRW 5,000,000 each.| No. | Year | Actor | Film | Country | Actress | Film | Country |
| 19 | 2014 | Choi Woo-shik | Set Me Free | South Korea | Cho Soo-hyang | Wild Flowers | South Korea |
| 20 | 2015 | Lee Ju-won | ALONE | South Korea | Sun Jang | Communication & Lies | South Korea |
| 21 | 2016 | Koo Kyo-hwan | Jane | South Korea | Lee Min-ji | Jane | South Korea |
| 22 | 2017 | Park Jong-hwan | Hit the Night | South Korea | Jeon Yeo-been | After My Death | South Korea |
| 23 | 2018 | Choi Hee-seo Lee Joo-young | Our Body Maggie | South Korea | |||
| 24 | 2019 | Kim Jun-hyung | The Education | South Korea | Mun Hye-in | The Education | South Korea |
| 25 | 2020 | Ji Soo | Our Joyful Summer Days | South Korea | Lim Seong-mi | FIGHTER | South Korea |
| 26 | 2021 | Kwon Daham | Through My Midwinter | South Korea | Lim Ji-ho | The Apartment with Two Women | South Korea |
| 27 | 2022 | Kim Youngsung | Big Sleep | South Korea | Kim Geumsoon | Star of Ulsan | South Korea |
| 28 | 2023 | Jang Sung-bum | Work to Do | South Korea | Oh Min-ae | Concerning My Daughter | South Korea |
KB New Currents Audience Award
KB New Currents Audience Award is given to the film that is most highly rated by festival audiences from the New Currents section. Sponsored by KB Kookmin Bank, KRW 20,000,000 is awarded to the director.Flash Forward Audience Award
Flash Forward Audience Award is given to the film that is most highly rated by festival audiences from the Flash Forward section. Sponsored by BIFF Supporters Association, KRW 10,000,000 is awarded to the director.FIPRESCI Award
FIPRESCI Award is given to well-made works that reflect its experimental and progressive spirit, among those presented in the New Currents section.| No. | Year | Film | Director | Country/Region |
| 2 | 1997 | Made in Hong Kong | Fruit Chan | Hong Kong, China |
| 3 | 1998 | Ikinai | Hiroshi Shimizu | Japan |
| 4 | 1999 | The Cup | Khyentse Norbu | Bhutan |
| 5 | 2000 | Sunflower | Isao Yukisada | Japan |
| 6 | 2001 | Flower Island | Song Il-gon | South Korea |
| 6 | 2001 | One Fine Spring Day | Hur Jin-ho | South Korea |
| 7 | 2002 | Too Young to Die | Park Jin-pyo | South Korea |
| 8 | 2003 | Deep Breath | Parviz Shahbazi | Iran |
| 9 | 2004 | Soap Opera | Wuershan | China |
| 10 | 2005 | The Unforgiven | Yoon Jong-bin | South Korea |
| 11 | 2006 | Love Conquers All | Tan Chui Mui | Malaysia |
| 12 | 2007 | The Red Awn | Cai Shangjun | China |
| 13 | 2008 | Jalainur | Ye Zhao | China |
| 14 | 2009 | Kick Off | Shawkat Amin Korki | Iraq/Japan |
| 15 | 2010 | The Journals of Musan | Park Jung-bum | South Korea |
| 16 | 2011 | Mourning | Morteza Farshbaf | Iran |
| 17 | 2012 | 36 | Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit | Thailand |
| 18 | 2013 | 10 Minutes | Lee Yong-seung | South Korea |
| 19 | 2014 | What's the Time in Your World? | Safi Yazdanian | Iran |
| 20 | 2015 | Immortal | Hadi Mohaghegh | Iran |
| 21 | 2016 | White Ant | Chu Hsien-che | Taiwan |
| 22 | 2017 | Last Child | Shin Dong-seok | South Korea |
| 23 | 2018 | The Red Phallus | Tashi Gyeltshen | Bhutan/Germany/Nepal |
| 24 | 2019 | Running to the Sky | Mirlan Abdykalykov | Kyrgyzstan |
| 25 | 2020 | Summer Blur | Han Shuai | China |
| 26 | 2021 | Seire | Park Kang | South Korea |
| 27 | 2022 | Thousand and One Nights | Nao Kubota | Japan |
| 28 | 2023 | That Summer Lie | Son Hyeon-rok | South Korea |
NETPAC Award
The NETPAC Award is given to the best film selected by the NETPAC jury among the films screened in the New Currents section.| No. | Year | Film | Director | Country |
| 1 | 1996 | Three Friends | Yim Soon-rye | South Korea |
| 2 | 1997 | Timeless, Bottomless Bad Movie | Jang Sun-woo | South Korea |
| 3 | 1998 | The Power of Kangwon Province | Hong Sang-soo | South Korea |
| 4 | 1999 | The Bird Who Stops in the Air | Jeon Soo-il | South Korea |
| 5 | 2000 | Chunhyang | Im Kwon-taek | South Korea |
| 6 | 2001 | Take Care of My Cat | Jeong Jae-eun | South Korea |
| 7 | 2002 | Road Movie | Kim In-sik | South Korea |
| 8 | 2003 | Untold Scandal | E J-yong | South Korea |
| 9 | 2004 | 3-Iron | Kim Ki-duk | South Korea |
| 10 | 2005 | [The Unforgiven (2005 film)|The Unforgiven] | Yoon Jong-bin | South Korea |
| 11 | 2006 | The Last Dining Table | Roh Gyeong-tae | South Korea |
| 12 | 2007 | Hello Stranger | Kim Dong-hyun | South Korea |
| 12 | 2007 | With a Girl of Black Soil | Jeon Soo-il | South Korea |
| 13 | 2008 | Members of the Funeral | Baek Seung-bin | South Korea |
| 13 | 2008 | Treeless Mountain | Kim So-yong | South Korea |
| 14 | 2009 | Paju | Park Chan-ok | South Korea |
| 15 | 2010 | Dooman River | Zhang Lu | China |
| 16 | 2011 | The King of Pigs | Yeon Sang-ho | South Korea |
| 17 | 2012 | Jiseul | O Muel | South Korea |
| 18 | 2013 | Shuttlecock | Lee Yu-bin | South Korea |
| 19 | 2014 | Socialphobia | Hong Seok-jae | South Korea |
| 20 | 2015 | Communication & Lies | Lee Seung-won | South Korea |
| 21 | 2016 | Merry Christmas Mr. Mo | Lim Dae-hyung | South Korea |
| 22 | 2017 | February | Kim Joong-hyun | South Korea |
| 23 | 2018 | House of Hummingbird | Kim Bo-ra | South Korea |
| 24 | 2019 | Moving On | Yoon Dan-bi | South Korea |
| 25 | 2020 | FIGHTER | Jéro Yun | South Korea |
| 26 | 2021 | The Apartment with Two Women | Kim Se-in | South Korea |
| 27 | 2022 | a Wild Roomer | Lee Jeong-hong | South Korea |
| 28 | 2023 | Solid by the Sea | Patiparn Buntharik | Thailand |
LG OLED New Currents Award
The LG OLED New Currents Award is established in 2023, is given to an Asian feature film in the New Currents section, that demonstrates an innovation in visual aesthetics. The award recipient will be chosen by the New Currents jurors, and will be granted prizes sponsored by LG OLED including 30,000,000 cash award.| No. | Year | Film | Director | Country |
| 28 | 2023 | Solid by the Sea | Patiparn Buntharik | Thailand |
LG OLED Vision Award
The LG OLED Vision Award is given to one Korean film in the Korean Cinema Today - Vision and New Currents section, that demonstrates an innovation in visual aesthetics. The award recipient will be granted prizes sponsored by LG OLED including 30,000,000 cash award.DGK PLUS M Award
The DGK PLUS M Award goes to two Korean films from the Korean Cinema Today - Vision section. Each winner will be granted KRW 5,000,000. This cash prize is sponsored by Directors Guild of Korea and PLUS M.CGV Award
CGV Award was newly created in 2011 in collaboration with CJ CGV to shed new light on the Korean Cinema Today - Vision section. The winner will receive a cash prize of KRW 10,000,000 sponsored by CJ CGV.KBS Independent Film Award
The KBS Independent Film Award is given to support Korean independent films. One Korean film will be selected among Korean Cinema Today - Vision and New Currents section to receive KRW 10,000,000. This cash prize is sponsored by Korean Broadcasting System.| No. | Year | Film | Director | Country |
| 23 | 2018 | Maggie | Yi Ok-seop | South Korea |
| 24 | 2019 | Lucky Chan-sil | Kim Cho-hee | South Korea |
| 25 | 2020 | LIMECRIME | Lee Seunghwan, Yoo Jaewook | South Korea |
| 26 | 2021 | Hot in Day, Cold at Night | Park Song-yeol | South Korea |
| 27 | 2022 | a Wild Roomer | Lee Jeong-hong | South Korea |
| 28 | 2023 | House of the Seasons | Oh Jung-min | South Korea |
CGK Award
The CGK Award, sponsored by Cinematographers Guild of Korea, is given to one Korean film from either New Currents or Korean Cinema Today - Vision section. The winner's cinematographer will be granted KRW 5,000,000.Critic b Award
Critic b Award is given to one film chosen by Busan Film Critics Association among the selections in the New Currents and the Korean Cinema Today - Vision section. The winner will receive KRW 10,000,000.| No. | Year | Film | Director | Country |
| 26 | 2021 | Hot in Day, Cold at Night | Park Song-yeol | South Korea |
| 27 | 2022 | a Wild Roomer | Lee Jeong-hong | South Korea |
| 28 | 2023 | Last Summer | Choi Seung-woo | South Korea |
Watcha Short Award
Watcha Short Award is established to support short film directors in Korean cinema. Two short films chosen from Wide Angle - Korean Short Competition section will be given a cash prize of KRW 5,000,000. This cash prize is sponsored by Watcha.| No. | Year | Film | Director | Country |
| 27 | 2022 | Other Life | Roh Dohyeon | South Korea |
| 28 | 2023 | MYDEAR | Jeon Do-hee, Kim So-hee | South Korea |
| 28 | 2023 | KARMA | Choi Soo-hyuk | South Korea |
Aurora Media Award
Aurora Media Award is established to support new directors in Korean cinema. Two Korean films chosen from the New Currents and the Korean Cinema Today - Vision section will be given a cash prize of KRW 10,000,000 respectively. This cash prize is sponsored by Aurora Media.| No. | Year | Film | Director | Country |
| 27 | 2022 | Greenhouse | Lee Sol-hui | South Korea |
| 27 | 2022 | Big Sleep | Kim Taehoon | South Korea |
| 28 | 2023 | House of the Seasons | Oh Jung-min | South Korea |
| 28 | 2023 | FAQ | Kim Da-min | South Korea |
Citizen Critics' Award
Citizen critics from the Busan Cinematheque choose the best film from those screened in Korean Cinema Today - Vision section. Citizen Critics' Award is awarded KRW 10,000,000 for supporting the director's next production.| No. | Year | Film | Director | Country |
| 16 | 2011 | Romance Joe | Lee Kwang-kuk | South Korea |
| 17 | 2012 | Jiseul | O Muel | South Korea |
| 18 | 2013 | Han Gong-ju | Lee Su-jin | South Korea |
| 18 | 2013 | Shuttlecock | Lee Yu-bin | South Korea |
| 19 | 2014 | Set Me Free | Kim Tae-yong | South Korea |
| 20 | 2015 | ALONE | Park Hong-min | South Korea |
| 21 | 2016 | Jamsil | Lee Wan-min | South Korea |
| 22 | 2017 | Possible Faces | Lee Kang-hyun | South Korea |
| 23 | 2018 | Maggie | Yi Ok-seop | South Korea |
| 24 | 2019 | Moving On | Yoon Dan-bi | South Korea |
| 26 | 2021 | Chorokbam | Yoon Seo-jin | South Korea |
| 27 | 2022 | Birth | Yoo Ji-young | South Korea |
| 28 | 2023 | The Berefts | Jung Beom, Heo Jang | South Korea |
Busan Cinephile Award
Busan Cinephile Award is given to the best Korean and Asian documentary film presented in the Wide Angle documentary showcase section. The winner is awarded KRW 5,000,000. The jury of college students, including numerous students from the cinema-related departments of six universities in Busan region, select the winner.| No. | Year | Film | Director | Country |
| 16 | 2011 | The Twin | Gustav Danielsson | Sweden |
| 17 | 2012 | 5 Broken Cameras | Emad Burnat, Guy Davidi | Palestine/Israel/ France/Netherlands |
| 18 | 2013 | Father's Garden – The Love of My Parents | Peter Liechti | Switzerland |
| 19 | 2014 | The Look of Silence | Joshua Oppenheimer | Denmark |
| 20 | 2015 | The Other Side | Roberto Minervini | Italy/France |
| 21 | 2016 | The Apology | Tiffany Hsiung | Canada |
| 22 | 2017 | A Free Man | Andreas Hartmann | Germany/Japan |
| 23 | 2018 | Bruce Lee and the Outlaw | Joost Vandebrug | United Kingdom/Netherlands/ Czech Republic |
| 24 | 2019 | Que Sea Ley | Juan Diego Solanas | France/Argentina/Uruguay |
| 26 | 2021 | I′m So Sorry | Zhao Liang | Hong Kong/France/Netherlands |
| 27 | 2022 | While We Watched | Vinay Shukla | United Kingdom |
| 28 | 2023 | Yellow Door: ′90s Lo-fi Film Club | Lee Hyuk-rae | South Korea |
Camellia Award
In 2024, the "Camellia Award" was introduced, named after Busan's city flower, the camellia. This award, established with the involvement of Chanel, aims to elevate the status of women in the film industry. The first recipient of this honor was Ryu Seong-hie, a South Korean film art director.| No. | Year | Recipient | Vocation | Country |
| 29 | 2024 | Ryu Seong-hie | Art director | South Korea |
| 30 | 2025 | Sylvia Chang | Director, screenwriter, and producer | Taiwan |