Actress Michelle Yeoh won this year’s Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award.

The opening ceremony of the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) was held on the afternoon of the 6th at Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae, Busan. Actress Kim Min-ha hosted the ceremony.

The Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award is presented annually to an Asian filmmaker or organization that has made the most outstanding contributions to the development of the Asian film industry and culture.

Taking the stage, Yeoh said, “It is an honor beyond measure to receive the Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award here,” and added, “The way our stories are conveyed across cultures and borders has profound meaning for me.”

Returning to Busan for the first time in 15 years, Yeoh said, “It is deeply meaningful to be back in Busan after so many years,” adding, “I would also like to congratulate the Busan International Film Festival on what it has achieved.”

She went on to emphasize, “Behind every film are people who believe in you, encourage you to take on challenges, and look out for you along the way. Having had such people in my life is a real blessing.”

Yeoh is a world-renowned actor who has worked across Asian and Hollywood cinema in films such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Crazy Rich Asians, and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. In particular, she made a significant mark in world cinema by becoming the first actor of Asian descent to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Now in its 31st edition, this year’s Busan International Film Festival officially invited 247 films, including 95 world premieres and 10 international premieres. Including Community BIFF, a total of 316 films will be presented to audiences.

Kim Jong-kwan’s Day and Night to Each Other was selected as the opening film. It depicts conversations between day and night, who spend time at a café over the course of a season. The film stars Kim Min-ha, Joo Jong-hyuk, Han Sun-hwa, Jang Ryul, Shim Eun-kyung, Lee Hee-joon, Jeon So-young, and Kim Dong-hwi.

This year’s Busan International Film Festival will be held in the area around Busan Cinema Center through the 15th.

[Yang So-young, Star Today reporter]

This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.