The Busan International Film Festival’s Jiseok Film Institute has scheduled the 31st Forum BIFF to run from October 8 to October 11, 2026, at the 영상산업센터, according to an announcement from the festival organizers.
The four-day event will operate under the overarching theme “Speaking of the Possibilities of Contemporary Cinema.” Organizers have structured the program into four main thematic pillars—industry, AI and creation, policy and institutions, and region and environment—comprising a total of eight distinct sessions designed to address structural shifts in the global and Asian film markets.
### The Decline of Mid-Budget Films and the Rise of Asian Animation
Amid prolonged theater industry slumps and the gradual disappearance of Korean mid-budget features from local screens, the forum will examine commercial shifts across Asian markets. According to the festival program, the session titled “Can the Vanishing Middle, Mid-Budget Films, Cross Borders?” will investigate whether international co-productions offer a viable financial and creative lifeline for producers.
A companion session, “What Completes the Leap of Asian Animation?”, will spotlight the box-office momentum of animated features originating from Japan and China. Industry participants will analyze these trends to identify potential pathways for the Korean film sector.
### Navigating Artificial Intelligence and Creative Agency
As generative artificial intelligence tools penetrate deeper into movie production, Forum BIFF is shifting the industry conversation from technical capabilities to authorship.
The session “The Future of AI Cinema: Can AI and Artists Coexist?” will evaluate the evolving boundaries between computational tools and artistic labor. Additionally, Dongseo University will host a parallel session titled “New Creativity in the AI Era: Asking for the Place of Humans,” focusing on the preservation of human agency and distinct artistic signatures in contemporary storytelling.
### Protecting Creator Rights and Securing Public Festival Funding
The logistical and legal frameworks necessary to sustain filmmaking careers form another core component of the 2026 schedule. The 영화인연대 has organized a session titled “Everyone is Fighting to Keep Making: Creator Rights and Sustainability,” which will address compensation standards, contractual transparency, and copyright protections for industry workers.
In tandem, the 영화제정책모임 will host “How Should Film Festival Support Change in the New Film Policy Environment?” This panel will bring together administrators and programmers to discuss public funding models and institutional stability for cultural festivals amid changing governmental priorities.
### Urban Governance and Environmental Sustainability in Busan
The final days of the forum turn local, examining the municipal infrastructure supporting the host city. The 부산영화정책네트워크 will lead a discussion on “New Governance of Regional Cinema: How Field and Administration Go Together,” targeting collaborative decision-making models between regional filmmakers and local government administrators.
Concluding the event, the UNESCO Creative City of Busan initiative will present “Transitioning to a Sustainable Film Ecosystem and Carbon Reduction Strategies.” This session will outline practical methods for lowering greenhouse gas emissions across physical production sets and festival operations, addressing climate responsibilities for designated film cities.
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