Tony Leung, the Asian Filmmaker of the Year, Bid ‘the Successful Festival This Year Again’

On October 5th (Wed), the 27th Busan International Film Festival was held at the outdoor theater of the Busan Cinema Center. This year, the festival declared returning to the pre-pandemic scale in 3 years after COVID-19, and 100% of its seats will be provided without social distancing. The opening ceremony was also held at the Cinema Center, where 4,500 seats were packed with audiences, heating up the opening ceremony of the festival.

The audience, who filled the outdoor theater, cheered with generous applause when actors and directors in colorful dresses entered the red carpet. Starting from Actors Ryu Junyeol and Jeon Yeobeen, the hosts of the opening ceremony, Directors Im Kwontaek, Lee Joonik, Kore-eda Hirokazu, Miike Takashi, Actors Song Kangho, Park Haeil, Byun Yohan, Ok Taecyeon, Jung Haein, Shin Hakyun, Han Jimin, Jin Seonkyu, Heo Sungtae, Yeom Hyeran, and Han Yeri stepped on the red carpet and greeted the audience in person. 

The opening ceremony began solemnly in memory of the late actor Kang Sooyeon, who passed away suddenly in May. Along with a video commemorating her, who was also the executive chairman of the Busan International Film Festival, letters from Actors Sul Kyunggu, Moon Sori, Director Yeon Sangho, and many others embroidered the screen. Actor Ryu Junyeol paid tribute to Kang Sooyeon by saying, “We’ll never forget Actor Kang Sooyeon who spared no effort for Korean films and the Busan International Film Festival.” After that, the Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award was followed. Actor Tony Leung is the winner of the Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award, and the ceremony began with Han Yeri's tribute, "It's an honor for me to introduce the actor who many actors, including myself, admired." 

Tony Leung replied, "I am very grateful to the Busan International Film Festival for giving me such an honorable award. I hope the film festival will be successful again this year.” Tony Leung visited the Busan International Film Festival for the first time in 18 years since the film 2046. He will be actively participating in the special BIFF showcase, ‘In the Mood for Tony Leung,’ which will screen 6 of his iconic films such as The Eagle Shooting Heroes, Happy Together, The Longest Nite, In the Mood for Love, Internal Affairs, and 2046, meeting the audience in person at the BIFF this year.

The 27th Busan International Film Festival, which opened on the 5th, will run for a total of 10 days until the 14th. This year, the film festival will feature 243 films from 71 countries, including the opening film, Scent of Wind. The invited films will be screened on 30 screens in 7 theaters.