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One of our favorite finds in Busan, South Korea, came almost by accident. BIFF! The Busan International film festival! I say almost because it’s a big deal in Busan, but we had no clue it was going on when we were in town. Despite the fact that we always check and see if there are any festivals going on before we visit a city. Often, we even go so far as picking cities because a festival is going on.

So when we found out that BIFF, the 22nd annual Busan International Film Festival was going on from October 12th to the 21st, we were very excited!  We do love ourselves a good movie, after all. I have a soft spot for old gangster movies, circa Goodfellas, Scarface and The Godfather, while Carine is a sucker for comedies and dramas, like the Matrix, Fight Club and The Incredibles (of course neither of which are comedies or dramas…).

Being from Montreal, we have our own film festival, but it pales in comparison to other International Film Festivals. The closest comparison, in our eyes, would be the bigger and more prestigious Toronto Film Festival.

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What you should know about the Busan International Film Festival

Well, we were in luck, because BIFF has films from all over the world, for all types of movie-goers. This year, it boasted over 300 films from 75 different countries, 99 of which were world premieres. On the judging panel, was the award-winning writer and filmmaker, Oliver Stone.

We loved the vibe of Busan from the get-go. We stayed in the vibrant tourist-friendly Haeundae beach area of Busan. Normally, it’s home to affordable food stalls, karaoke joints out the wazoo, and a vibrant nightlife. But for 10 days in October, it is also the home of the BIFF headquarters. 

It sees plenty of celebrity appearances, such as Jennifer Lawrence, who was in attendance to represent the movie Mother!. We may (or may not) have spent our days during the festival hoping to run into her.

The venues for the showings were a few different movie theatres, and you had to go on the spot to get your tickets. They also have night-time beach movie viewings that are free to the public.

Though we don’t normally go catch a movie while we are traveling, we made an exception for BIFF… ok, we made two exceptions!

Top tips for enjoying the Busan Film Festival

With over 200,000 people expected to attend screenings, it’s easy to get lost, confused or even ruin your experience. Here are the top tips to make sure you enjoy your time at the Busan International Film Festival.

1. Book your accommodations early

There are movie stars, directors, producers, cast and crew, and even guests coming in from over 70 countries to catch this film festival. As you can imagine, good accommodations will get filled up quite quickly, especially in the Haeundae area. Make sure you book your room ahead of time so you have the best selection possible.

Although we had no idea the festival was happening, we booked quite last-minute and didn’t have much trouble finding a good place to stay. We’re not very picky when it comes to accommodations, so we were happy with what we found.

2. Buy your tickets online if you can

Again, it’s time to act fast. Do your research ahead of time, find what movies you want to see, and book them as soon as they are available.

However, don’t despair if the shows you want are already sold out. You can always get some tickets the day of the showing that you can buy in person or online. If you get them online, get them early in the morning.

3. Buy your tickets in person for your movies

There are a bunch of cinemas where you can buy your tickets in person. Make sure you prepare all the movie codes in advance. Book as many tickets as possible and prepare backup codes. Don’t worry because refunds come easy – there’s always someone who wants the tickets.

4. Don’t forget, two tickets max!

When you buy tickets in person, you can only buy two at a time. So if you’re buying for a group, you may need to be half the number of people in line to get all the tickets. If not, ask the people behind you in line to buy the tickets for you.

5. Be on time!

Often, there are stars, directors or producers at the show, so they tend to start them on time. Be sure that you are on time for the shows. Even better, show up early (a good 10-15 minutes will do the trick) so you can have the best seat in town.

6. Give yourself some time

You will probably want to catch as many movies as possible. Just make sure you give yourself time between the shows. The city of Busan is very spread out, so getting from one venue to the next may be tight.

If you’re leaving less than 30 minutes between each movie, make sure you book movies at the same venue.

Catching movies at the Busan International Film Festival

Busan comes to life during the ten days of the International film festival. Although it caught us by surprise, we were still able to catch two movies during the festival. They were very different, but the experience was tons of fun!

Watching an Uruguayan movie in South Korea

The first film we saw was called Mi Mundial, an Uruguayan movie about a kid wanting to make it big playing futbol (or soccer for us North Americans). It was a touching story based on a popular book by Daniel Baldi.

It’s the story of Tito, a young boy prodigy who is pushed harder and harder as he grows up to pursue his family’s only chance at getting out of the hardships they endure. Titos’s family is poor, and they see from an early age that Tito is head and shoulders above the rest of the boys his age in football.

Without spoiling the plot of the movie, Tito endures some hardships himself, and questions his passion for the sport that captivates billions of people around the world.

Being from Canada, this movie easily could have been made about a little Sydney Crosby. It’s a look into the pressure that comes with young boys or girls who give up their entire childhood in pursuit of achieving their dreams of becoming the best at their sport.

Far from a North American blockbuster movie, it hit close to the heart for both of us, and was one of the better movies we had seen in a long while. Carine may have shed a tear or two… not that that is anything new!

At the conclusion of the movie, the credits rolled to a classic Spanish song by the name of Los Caminos de la Vida, which perfectly summed up the film. Once the screen went to black, the movie’s director and producer, Carlos Andrés Morelli and Lucia Gaviglio Salkind took questions from the gallery for a good 45 minutes.

An Italian movie in Busan

The next film we saw was called Equilibrio by Italian filmmaker Vincenzo Marra.  The story of father Giuseppe, a priest from Rome. Tempted by a woman he is friends with, he moves from Rome to Campania, northwest of Naples. His congregation is troubled by toxic waste, with many illnesses befalling them.

Father Giuseppe tries to get to the bottom of why all of this toxic waste is allowed to be dumped right in their backyard, only to find that the local mafia is responsible. The local organized crime family is allowed to run rampant due to a seeming absence of police or governmental presence in the area.

This movie was a little slow-paced, but between the acting, and the realism of the entire film embodies, it was nonetheless a good watch. The portrayal of the mafia was not glorified the way it usually is in American films.

It was refreshing to see works that were put together by people we actually met, as opposed to big media companies, like most movies we watch are. It gives the films a truer feel. The lack of a big budget often leads to more emphasis being put on writing and storytelling, which is a big plus in our books.

Everything you should know about the Busan International Film festival

Here are some quick facts about the Busan International film festival that will help you figure out where to be, what to do and how to best enjoy the festivities.

• When: 10 days in early October
• Where: Busan Cinema Center and Haeundae area. The home of Busan International Film Festival is the Busan Cinema Center. It’s located in Centum City, next to Shinsegae Centum City, which holds a Guinness world record as the largest department store in the world.
• Screens: There are over 30 screens showing 300 films from over 70 countries.
• What: The Busan International film festival is not a competitive one, so expect guests, directors, and stars to be more relaxed.
• Official website: Make sure you check it often so you’re up to date on what’s happening.

While it may not have been the Cannes Film Festival, BIFF was a unique experience for us on our trip and will be remembered fondly! Hopefully, these tips helped make the best out of your time in Busan. Let us know in the comments.

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