30th Busan International Film Festival: Must-Watch Indian Films

The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) is Asia’s premier cinematic event, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and showcasing a diverse range of films from around the world, including a strong lineup of Indian movies. From September 17 to 26, 2025, you can catch some exceptional Indian storytelling on screen, and so if you happen to be in Korea during the festival, try not to miss out on the unique experience. Here are the Indian films that are part of the festival’s lineup this year:

Indian Films at Vision – Asia Section

BIFF’s Vision section showcases new talent in Korean and Asian independent cinema, highlighting innovative ideas and works that push boundaries, thereby discovering up-and-coming filmmakers. Previously part of ‘Korean Cinema Today—Vision’ and dedicated to Korean indie films, the Vision section is now an independent part of the festival. Under its Vision—Asia category, these three are the must-watch Indian films.

If on a Winter’s Night

With a penchant for experimental storytelling that blends documentary and fiction, Sanju Surendran’s If on a Winter’s Night follows a Kerala couple’s Delhi dreams turned harsh reality when they lose their home to the city’s unforgiving winters. But then, amidst the chaos, they find comfort in each other, and their relationship deepens despite the odds.

Kok Kok Kookkook

Maharshi Tuhin Kashyap’s cinematic journey through this film, exploring Guwahati’s landscape, is a blend of magic realism and horror. Kashyap captures the city’s jagged beauty and the struggles of migrants who call it home. As the characters grapple with their identity and belonging, the narrative evokes a mood that is both unsettling and beautiful, emphasizing atmospheric storytelling and mythological themes.

Shape of Momo

The debut movie by Tribeny Rai, a joint production between India and Korea, explores identity, memory, and emotions as a woman returns to her Himalayan home and grapples with family expectations, tradition, and her own sense of self.

Indian Films Included in the Asian Project Market (APM)

APM brings together emerging talent and connects filmmakers with global investors, producers, and distributors. This year’s selections cover a wide range of themes, from social inequality and family love to LGBTQ+ issues and more. Check out the Indian films that are part of this premiere event at BIFF this year:

Difficult Daughters

Difficult Daughters, helmed by actor and filmmaker Soni Razdan and based on Manju Kapur’s novel of the same name revolves around the themes of identity, feminism, and the weight of generational trauma through a powerful exploration of what it means to be a woman, the weight of our experiences, and how societal expectations can both shape and suffocate us.

Lanka (The Fire)

Director Saurav Rai’s Lanka is about the ripple effects of struggle. For Shiv, a schoolboy, his family’s old van is more than just a ride to school—it’s a constant reminder of their financial woes. When the van breaks down, his father is unable to afford a new one, and that pushes him to desperation. On the other side, a seemingly harmless karate match between Shiv and his friend Simon triggers anger between their families and gradually turns into an itch for revenge that threatens to destroy everything.

The Last of Them Plagues (Guptam)

Kunjila Mascillamani tells the story of a woman whose independence sparks public outrage. When her younger daughter goes missing, she desperately starts searching for her child, and the area is suddenly plagued by bizarre and tragic events. The locals, conservative and quick to judge, blame her for the chaos, which lands her in a bigger challenge to prove her innocence and locate her daughter, all while trying to hold on to what’s left of her shattered life.

The Magical Men

Filmmaker Biplob Sarkar is back at BIFF with The Magical Men, his LGBTQ+-themed movie and his second major outing after The Stranger made its presence felt at the festival in 2023. This new offering boasts an incredible international collaboration, with producers from Singapore, France, Bangladesh, and India coming together.

Moon

Pradip Kurbah’s Moon shines a light on our inner conflicts and regret. According to Kurbah, courtesy of The Shillong Times, “At its heart, Moon is about confronting the inner darkness we all carry and discovering hope and strength through connection, forgiveness, and resilience.” Following several honors, including the Kim Jiseok Award at Busan, Kurbah’s work continues to resonate globally, building on the success of his earlier film Ha Lyngkha Bneng, which was selected for the Asian Project Market in 2020.