european films out in force at biff 2023

AN ENDLESS SUNDAY by Alain Parroni ( Italy, Germany, Ireland/ Fandango)

This year’s line-up of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF, 4 – 13 October, 2023) includes 70 European films to be presented to an enthusiastic Korean audience, while 32 world sales companies will be joining the EUROPE! Umbrella at the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM, 7 – 10 October) starting a few days later.

“This year’s selection of the Busan International Film Festival not only includes films by masters and award-winning films from other prestigious film festivals, but also films by young directors or directors who are still relatively unknown in Korea. Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry (2023) by Elene Naveriani, An Endless Sunday (2023) by Alain Parroni, and The Peasants (2023) by DK Welchman and Hugh Welchman are representative of this new wave of filmmakers. In addition, more than 15 films co-produced by Asian and European countries have been selected, reconfirming the Busan International Film Festival’s role as an leading showcase of collaboration for Asian films and European films”, says BIFF Programmer Seo Seunghee.

“We are delighted to see such a large number of European films in the festival programme. The festival and market are both very important places for promoting European films outside of Europe. The enthusiastic and warm welcome given to European cinema by the festival’s audience underscores the event’s significance in the region as a promotional platform.”, says EFP’s Deputy Managing Director Jo Mühlberger.

The EUROPE! Cocktail is being organised in cooperation with Cinécitta and BIFF for European talents - directors, actors and producers - coming to Busan to introduce their films in person to invited representatives of the Korean industry and press. They will include directors Bertrand Bonello (The Beast), Luc Besson (Dogman), producerThomas Reichlin (Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry), Goran Stolevski (Housekeeping for Beginners), Anaïs Tellenne with lead actor Raphaël Thiéry (The Dreamer), Alain Parroni (An Endless Sunday) and Ivan Pribicevic (The Peasants).

>>discover all of the European titles at BIFF