Busan International Film Festival to Unveil ‘Uprising’ as Opening Film for 2024

The 29th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), starting on October 2—with a carefully curated ensemble of films from around the world and some unique attractions—is back as one of Asia’s premier film festivals. It will open with Uprising, the much-anticipated Korean period war action flick, setting the stage for the event.

Uprising will be available for streaming on Netflix from October 11, coming hot on the heels of its debut at BIFF. The film picked up a lot of steam well in advance of its release thanks to Park Chan-wook, its producer and scriptwriter, director Kim Sang-man, and a stellar cast of Gang Dong-won, Park Jeong-min, Cha Seung-won, Kim Shin-rok, Jin Sun-kyu, and Jung Sung-il.

Essentially, the plot follows two men who once shared a childhood friendship but fell out during the Japanese invasion of Korea: the fearsome swordsman Cheon Yeong (Gang Dong-won), who was bound into unjust servitude, and his master Jong-ryeo (Park Jeong-min), a son of the highest-ranking Joseon military official and King Seonjo’s (Cha Seung-won) closest ally.

The movie’s BIFF opening is a first of its kind, as it’s the first for a film made for a streaming service, and also a very important one in that it opens the doors to its varied lineup and underlines BIFF championing Asian cinema in particular, of which Korean cinema plays a key component.

The festival circuit has grown more prominent in creative and independent cinema circles, and the 29th Busan International Film Festival offers a space for the screening of works by up-and-coming talents. The film slate includes director Lee Ran-hee’s The Final Semester, Park Song-yeol’s Kike Will Hit a Home Run, Park Ri-woong’s The Land of Morning Calm, Lee Jong-su’s Inserts, and many others from adept Korean indie filmmakers.

Five movies have been included in its Korean Cinema Today—Special Premiere segment. Bogota: City of the Lost (starring Song Joong-ki); Hear Me: Our Summer (starring Hong Kyung and Roh Yoon-seo); A Normal Family (starring Sol Kyung-gu, Jang Dong-gun, Kim Hee-ae, and Claudia Kim); Dirty Money (starring Jung Woo, Kim Dae-myung, and Park Byeong-eun); and A Girl with Closed Eyes (starring Kim Min-ha). Also, the Korean Cinema Today—Panorama segment promises multiple releases, namely Somebody, Method Acting, You Are the Apple of My Eye, and The Killers, alongside a world premiere of Ghost Train directed by Tak Se-woong within its Midnight Passion category.

This year, BIFF’s Wide Angle Segment dedicated to distinct documentaries includes those by rookie filmmakers and their maiden projects, for example, Jo Se-young’s K-Number, Park Min-soo and Ahn Kearn-hyung’s Works and Days, Ryu Hyung-seok’s The First Responders, Sohn Koo-yong’s At the Park, and Lee So-jeong’s Every Single Dot—which should serve a critical part in influencing and expanding the festival’s narrative.

Additionally, the Wide Angle—Documentary Showcase category comprises plenty of groundbreaking subjects that are likely to draw viewers and serve as a platform for a premium viewing experience. It’s another effort to reach the audience and draw attention to stories that may otherwise go unnoticed or unrecognized. 

A special bit titled “In Memory of Lee Sun-kyun” at BIFF 2024 will feature the late actor’s classic hits—Paju (2009), Our Sunhi (2013), A Hard Day (2014), Parasite (2019), and his posthumous release Land of Happiness (2024), while also screening a handful of episodes from My Mister (2018), the series. Lee will be honored with the Korea Cinema Award, while a presentation commemorating his illustrious legacy is also planned. 

The 29th Busan International Film Festival will screen a variety of 279 films, including a series of international and world premieres and a set of “Buzzing Movies,” of which RM: Right People, Wrong Place—documenting BTS’s RM in the process of making his debut solo album and featuring him up close is a special highlight.

The opening ceremony of BIFF 2024 will be hosted by actors Park Bo-young and Ahn Jae-hong.