The 31st Busan International Film Festival has announced 23 Korean and Asian independent films for its Vision section, highlighting a mix of emerging filmmakers and established directors from across the region.
The program includes 12 films in Vision – Korea and 11 in Vision – Asia. Formerly known as Korean Cinema Today – Vision, the section was expanded last year into a standalone program covering independent cinema from throughout Asia.
Vision – Korea
This year’s Korean selection brings together feature debuts and new works from filmmakers who have previously received recognition at BIFF and other international festivals.
Among the selections is Kim Hyomi’s animated feature debut Earbug, about an aspiring novelist, while Park Kun-young returns with Things I Left at the Theater. Shin Dongmin’s Not For You explores grief and healing, and Kim Miyoung returns with Some Detective. Both Not For You and Some Detective were supported by the 2026 Asian Cinema Fund Post-Production Fund.
Other selections include Oh Sehyeon’s BALER, Park Songyeol’s Beyond Love’s Horizon and Sohn Hyun-lok’s The Birds, which follows the mystery surrounding a series of student fall accidents.
Park Hong-min returns with the surreal Space, while Shin Sun’s Nothing Has Happened Yet follows a woman caught between an ability to foresee the future and memories she would rather forget.
The lineup is completed by Jang Woojin’s Cosmic Trace, Jeong Jihye’s FULL MOON and Kim Si-jin’s animated feature debut The Flower, which centers on mysterious events at a crematorium.
Vision – Asia
The Vision – Asia lineup brings together films from Vietnam, Japan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Mongolia, Iran, Thailand, India and Kazakhstan.
Vietnamese director Nguyễn Hoàng Điệp’s 1982 follows a filmmaker searching for her missing mother while uncovering family secrets. Japanese director Kumamoto Ryohei makes his feature debut with After the Song, a coming-of-age story centered on identity and family conflict, while Isabella Lam Lok-hin’s Hong Kong feature Dead End explores the psychological impact of a man’s troubled past.
The program also includes Arvin Belarmino’s Ria from the Philippines and Mongolian director Sakhya Byamba’s Zogsool. Iranian filmmaker Mani Moghaddam makes his feature debut with Slumber, while acclaimed Thai actress Inthira Charoenpura moves behind the camera for Bua, co-directed with Phensiri Klangsurin.
India is represented by Sailesh Rathnakumar’s SELVI and Shashank Walia’s Birds in the Dark. Kazakh filmmaker Darkhan Tulegenov presents The Cord, while Japanese director Yaza Takenoshin makes his feature debut with Hinotama: Ball of Fire.
The 31st Busan International Film Festival is scheduled to run from October 6 to 15 at the Busan Cinema Center and surrounding venues.
