BUSAN — Iranian director Majid Majidi's "Bread and Book" won the Busan Award, the top prize at this year's Busan International Film Festival. The competition section was introduced for the first time last year, and starting this year the Busan Award grand prize winner automatically qualifies for submission to the Academy Awards in the United States.
The festival's organizing committee held the closing ceremony of the 31st Busan International Film Festival at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae District on the afternoon of the 15th, presenting awards in six categories including the grand prize, best director and best actor. Zhang Yimou, who chaired the competition jury, announced "Bread and Book" as the grand prize winner, saying the jury had reached a unanimous decision.
Taking the stage, Majidi said he was delighted to receive such an honor on his first visit. "I want to express my deep gratitude and respect to our master, director Zhang Yimou. I have learned a great deal from him," he said.
He went on to thank audiences, his family and his late mother. "The protagonist of cinema is the audience. Films live and breathe because you are here," he said. "The protagonist of my film is my mother. Mothers are the heroes in all our lives," he added, revealing that he had lost his mother a few months before filming began. "It was my mother's energy and prayers that allowed me to put such great love and emotion into this film."
Majidi also shared the honor with the Iranian people. "The people of Iran are resisting oppression," he said. "For the past 48 years they have lived under all manner of harsh economic sanctions, unable even to obtain medicine. Yet the Iranian people have never submitted." The remarks drew applause.
He also spoke of the toll of war, saying innocent students had been killed and that some bodies had yet to be recovered. "We will stand firm and fight to reclaim our independence," he said. "I hope for a world without war. I pray that a future filled with peace, love and brotherhood comes to this earth."
The acting awards went to Zhou Xun for "Her Heart Beats in Its Cage," directed by Gu Yu, and to Kashun Himeno for "Satoko and Her Ways," directed by Shuichi Okita. Director Li Yunchan won best director for "To Be Ordinary." The special jury prize went to Eddie Cahyono's "My Mother," and the artistic contribution award went to sound director Li Danfeng of "Her Heart Beats in Its Cage." The New Currents Award went to Shashank Walia's "Birds in the Dark."
This year's festival was credited with both quantitative and qualitative gains, stepping up to the ranks of the world's leading film festivals and surpassing 200,000 admissions for the first time in 11 years. It was elevated to A-list status, the highest grade awarded by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF), placing it alongside Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance and Toronto.
Total festival admissions came to 200,043. It was the first time the figure had exceeded 200,000 since 2015. Admissions for officially invited films totaled 185,239, while Community BIFF and Dongne Bangne BIFF, a neighborhood outreach screening program, drew 5,186 and 9,618, respectively. Including 76,984 people who attended program events and side events, total participation reached 277,027, about 40,000 more than at last year's 30th edition.
The Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM), which brings together film industry professionals, was also busy. The event at BEXCO in Haeundae District drew 30,484 visitors, with 339 companies from 32 countries taking part across 129 booths.