Marking its 30th milestone, the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) presents the third edition of Asian Cinema 100 under the theme Defining Moments of Asian Cinema. Curated in collaboration with the Pusan National University Film Institute and the Korean Film Archive, the program revisits the artistry and history of Asian filmmaking through landmark works, each accompanied by special screenings and conversations with their creators.

The distinguished roster of attendees includes Jafar Panahi (This Is Not a Film), Marziyeh Meshkini (The Day I Became a Woman), Jia Zhang-Ke (Still Life), Tsai Ming-Liang and Lee Kang-Sheng (Goodbye, Dragon Inn), Wang Bing (Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks), Johnnie To (Election), Lee Chang-dong (Burning), Park Chan-wook (Old Boy), and Yagira Yuya (Nobody Knows). These celebrated auteurs and actors — decorated at the world’s most prestigious festivals – have each shaped the landscape of Asian cinema, and now gather in Busan to share their visions directly with audiences.

Launched in 2015 for BIFF’s 20th anniversary, Asian Cinema 100 surveys global filmmakers, critics, and scholars to identify works of enduring aesthetic and historical value. After previous editions spotlighted the 100 Best Asian Films (2015) and Best Asian Films by Female Directors (2021), this year’s selection reflects the breadth of the continent’s cinematic achievements. A panel of 161 experts from 34 countries identified 119 films, with 10 titles chosen for special festival screenings.

From Panahi’s defiant This Is Not a Film to Park Chan-wook’s genre-defining Old Boy, Jia Zhang-Ke’s haunting portrait of change in Still Life, and Lee Chang-dong’s enigmatic Burning, the lineup spans nations, styles, and decades. Other highlights include Meshkini’s lyrical The Day I Became a Woman, Tsai Ming-Liang’s meditative Goodbye, Dragon Inn, Wang Bing’s monumental documentary Tie Xi Qu, Johnnie To’s razor-sharp Election, Kore-eda Hirokazu’s tender Nobody Knows, and Hamaguchi Ryusuke’s poignant Drive My Car. Together, they represent the diversity, innovation, and emotional depth of Asian filmmaking.

In conjunction with the program, BIFF will release Defining Moments of Asian Cinema – 100 Best Asian Films Since 1996, a commemorative publication featuring all selected works and essays by leading filmmakers and critics under the theme My Beloved Asian Films. This collection offers intimate, personal perspectives on the films that have defined — and continue to define — the cinematic identity of Asia.

The 30th Busan International Film Festival will take place September 17–26, 2025, at the Busan Cinema Center, offering audiences a rare opportunity to witness these timeless works on the big screen and engage with the masters who brought them to life.

Featured image courtesy of Busan International Film Festival

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