Busan: The 30th edition of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) commenced its 10-day run with the opening ceremony hosted by Lee Byung-hun at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae. This year's festival marks a significant milestone for Asia's premier film festival, featuring Park Chan-wook's "No Other Choice" as the opening film.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the 30th edition of BIFF introduces its first-ever full-fledged competition section to bolster the festival's global stature. The section includes 14 films that celebrate Asian cinema, with the Best Film award winner serving as the festival's closing film. Additional accolades at the festival include Best Director, Best Actor/Actress, the Special Jury Award, and the Artistic Contribution Award. Notably, ten of the 14 films will have their world premieres during the festival.

This year's lineup boasts 241 officially invited films, an increase from 224 the previous year. Including selections for the citizen-driven Community BIFF, the total number of films presented rises to 328. The Korean Cinema Today program will showcase five Korean films, highlighting recent notable works such as "The Great Flood" by Kim Byung-woo and "Boss" by Ra Hee-chan.

The festival will also spotlight international cinema icons, including Italian director Marco Bellocchio and French actress Juliette Binoche, both expected to attend. Other notable attendees include Japanese actor Ken Watanabe, Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, and Tony Leung Chiu-wai.

In the Carte Blanche section, screenings curated by prominent cultural figures will feature selections by Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho and Maggie Kang. Kang's work will also be celebrated with a special sing-along screening of her Netflix animated feature.

The Vision section will present 23 Asian independent films from emerging and mid-career directors. BIFF will run through September 26 at various venues across the city.