Celebrated Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook will open the 30th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) with his latest feature No Other Choice, marking his return to cinema three years after Decision to Leave (2022), which earned him the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival.
The film stars Squid Game actor Lee Byung-hun as Man-su, a man whose life spirals into chaos after an unexpected dismissal from his job. As his world collapses, Man-su fights to protect his wife Miri (played by Son Yejin), their two children, and their home in what BIFF describes as “his own war of survival.” This will be the first on-screen pairing of Lee and Son as a married couple.
The ensemble cast also features Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, and Cha Seung-won.
No Other Choice will have its Asian premiere at BIFF, following a world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. Park previously described the film as a “long-awaited passion project” during a BIFF appearance in 2019.
I am deeply moved and excited to experience the premiere of Park Chan-wook’s desired project alongside diverse audiences on the festival’s opening day. I sincerely hope that its selection will build meaningful momentum to garner greater attention and foster renewed interest in Korean cinema.
said BIFF festival director Jung Hanseok.
Lee Byung-hun is also set to host the opening ceremony of this year’s festival.
The selection arrives at a pivotal moment for Korean cinema, with BIFF positioning the film as one that “embodies what audiences most hope to see” and has the potential to “reinvigorate Korean cinema at this pivotal moment.”
Park Chan-wook, whose career began with The Moon Is… the Sun’s Dream (1992), is known for iconic titles such as Joint Security Area (2000), the Vengeance Trilogy (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance), Thirst (2009), The Handmaiden (2016), and Decision to Leave (2022).
With multiple Cannes accolades including the Grand Prix, Prix du Jury, and Prix de la mise en scène Park remains the only Korean director to receive all three prestigious honors.
The 30th Busan International Film Festival runs from September 17 to 26, while the 20th Asian Contents & Film Market will take place from September 20 to 23.
Source: Variety