In 1980, Busan chose the short film. At a time when few were paying attention, this city believed in the potential of the short film — that an entire world could be contained within a brief form. That belief, renewed year after year, has brought us to this 43rd edition. Korea's first Oscar® Qualifying film festival, a dedicated BISFF retrospective at the Cinémathèque Française, a destination that draws filmmakers from every corner of the globe — everything BISFF is today is what that belief has built.
This year, we welcome France — the country that gave the art of cinema to the world — as our Guest Country. That the birthplace of film and the home of short film should share the same stage feels like a natural expression of the journey BISFF has been on all along. This year, 5,966 films from 124 countries made their way to the Busan International Short Film Festival. We hope this festival fills you with unforgettable encounters — film after film that leaves its mark.