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Milla Jovovich‘s war at home
The "Resident Evil' franchise turned Milla Jovovich into that rare breed: a woman action star who has actually stuck around. She's been blown up, shot at, chased by zombies. She's battled cosmic entities, mutant bioweapons, apocalyptic viruses — pretty much every gonzo fever dream Hollywood could cook up. But nothing has quite prepared her for the gut-punch of "Protector," a rare Korean-Hollywood co-production making its Asian premiere at Busan. "I lost 20 pounds making this movie," she says at
Sept. 19, 2025 -
Movies in theaters this week
"The Ugly" (South Korea) Opened Sept. 11 Mystery/Thriller Directed by Yeon Sang-ho A documentary producer (Han Ji-hyeon) and a blind craftsman's son (Park Jeong-min) investigate the decades-old disappearance of his mother (Shin Hyun-been), uncovering dark truths about the craftsman (Kwon Hae-hyo) and society's prejudice. "Murder Report" (South Korea) Opened Sept. 5 Thriller Directed by Cho Young-jun A reporter (Cho Yeo-jeong) interviews a serial killer (Jung Sung-il), only to discover that stopp
Sept. 19, 2025 -
Cannes-winning Jafar Panahi defies all boundaries at Busan International Film Festival
BUSAN — "I consider myself a social filmmaker." Jafar Panahi laid that down straight Thursday morning, speaking at a press conference held at the Busan Cinema Center. Just hours earlier, France had announced its selection of Panahi's Palme d'Or winner "It Was Just an Accident" as the country's Oscar submission. In Busan, he's here for his Asian filmmaker of the year award, a gala screening of "It Was Just an Accident," plus a retrospective threading through his three decades of defiant filmmakin
Sept. 18, 2025 -
Three films to catch at BIFF this week
The Busan International Film Festival kicked off Wednesday, running through Sept. 26 with its usual sprawl of screenings across the city. As the festival enters its third decade, it continues to bring the most talked-about works in global cinema to Korean audiences for the first time. Here are the three essential picks — tickets are available through the BIFF website. 'It Was Just an Accident' What more can be said after Panahi's latest took home the Palme d'Or at Cannes this year? The work beca
Sept. 18, 2025 -
BIFF competition jury pledges impartial assessment as festival enters new era
BUSAN — The seven-member jury for the Busan International Film Festival's inaugural competition expressed both the weight of responsibility and excitement at the jury press conference Thursday at the Busan Cinema Center. Jury President Na Hong-jin set a candid tone from the start. "Honestly, the pressure is immense -- I really didn't want to do this," the director of "The Chaser" and "The Wailing" said with humor. "Yesterday at the opening ceremony, I nearly had a panic attack. The festival has
Sept. 18, 2025 -
Busan International Film Festival opens 30th edition with star-studded ceremony
BUSAN — The 30th Busan International Film Festival opened Wednesday evening at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae-gu, launching its 10-day program of 328 films that will screen across seven theaters. This year marks a historic transformation for Asia's premier film event, as it introduces its first competition section after 29 years as a noncompetitive event. Fourteen Asian films will compete for five awards totaling 110 million won ($80,000), with 10 world premieres among the selections. The r
Sept. 17, 2025 -
Park Chan-wook's 'No Other Choice' opens Busan film fest with calculated anarchy
BUSAN -- "The personal and the social — they're completely intertwined, pointing both outward and inward," Park Chan-wook offered Wednesday afternoon, attempting to articulate the dialectical tension animating his new film. The director was addressing reporters at Busan Cinema Center, where a press-only screening of "No Other Choice" had just unofficially launched the 30th Busan International Film Festival ahead of that evening's opening ceremony. Fresh off its world premiere in Venice and a sto
Sept. 17, 2025 -
30 years of drama: How BIFF became Asia's most prestigious film fest
In September 1996, German film programmer Erika Gregor let out a shriek in a darkened theater. A rat had just bitten her foot. For weeks later, filmgoers in Busan watched movies to the soundtrack of meowing — legend has it that the organizers had released cats to hunt down the rats. That this scrappy latecomer would become Asia's premier film event seemed about as likely as Korea winning an Oscar. Both would become reality. Two years before the rodent incident, a handful of film professionals an
Sept. 16, 2025 -
Greta Lee becomes grid runner
At Monday's press event in Seoul for "Tron: Ares," Greta Lee couldn't hide her amazement at launching the global press tour in Korea. "I can't believe I'm here promoting a movie like this," the Korean American actor told reporters at CGV Yongsan, still processing her rise from indie darling to franchise star. "For a Hollywood movie to have a Korean protagonist for the first time, possibly, it's unbelievable." After decades of memorable supporting roles and scene-stealing turns in everything from
Sept. 15, 2025 -
Park Chan-wook's 'No Other Choice' wins International People's Choice Award at Toronto
South Korean director Park Chan-wook's satirical thriller "No Other Choice" won the International People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, festival organizers announced. The newly established award, determined by audience vote, recognizes the most popular feature film from outside North America. "No Other Choice" beat out runner-up "Sentimental Value" from Norwegian director Joachim Trier and third-place finisher "Homebound" by India's Neeraj Ghaywan. Based on
Sept. 15, 2025 -
Movies in theaters this week
"Murder Report" (South Korea) Opened Sept. 5 Thriller Directed by Cho Young-jun A reporter (Cho Yeo-jeong) interviews a serial killer (Jung Sung-il), only to discover that stopping the interview would lead to the death of another victim. "The Conjuring: Last Rites" (US) Opened Sept. 3 Horror/Thriller Directed by Michael Chaves Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) face a case involving a haunted family in this final installment of "The Conjuring" franc
Sept. 12, 2025 -
Yeon Sang-ho's microbudget gamble can't find its target
Reporters sat in a Seoul screening room Wednesday, looking at the theater's screen with six faces beaming in from Toronto. It was 3 a.m. there, but director Yeon Sang-ho and his cast looked wired, having just emerged from the world premiere of "The Ugly" at the Toronto International Film Festival, where all 1,721 seats had sold out. "Park Jung-min is Toronto's Justin Bieber," Yeon joked about his lead actor's unexpected Canadian fan base. "The joy of watching these brilliant actors on a massive
Sept. 11, 2025 -
Lee Byung-hun becomes first Korean actor to win TIFF Special Tribute Award
Lee Byung-hun became the first Korean actor to receive the Special Tribute Award at the Toronto International Film Festival on Monday, marking a milestone for Korean cinema at the festival's 50th anniversary celebration. The award was presented by director Park Chan-wook at the TIFF Tribute Awards gala held at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto. Lee joined an elite group of honorees including Jodie Foster, Guillermo del Toro and filmmaker Hikari. "I began my acting career 35 years ago in t
Sept. 10, 2025 -
Fighting heat with chills, a month too late
In Korea, summer is the season for horror films, the idea being that you fight the heat with chills down your spine. But "The Cursed" arrives as autumn creeps in, when the weather is already cooling and audiences might not need that extra shiver. It's an omnibus affair, five episodes strung together with different characters and storylines. The anthology format has become something of a go-to strategy for Korean horror in recent years — throw enough scares at the wall, and something's bound to s
Sept. 9, 2025 -
Sylvia Chang to receive Camellia Award at 30th Busan film festival
Taiwanese filmmaker Sylvia Chang will receive the 2025 Camellia Award at the Busan International Film Festival, organizers announced Tuesday. The honor, presented in partnership with Chanel, recognizes women who have made significant cultural and artistic contributions to Asian cinema. Chang, 71, brings five decades of industry experience to the accolade. She has appeared in over 100 films and has directed 15 features since her debut behind the camera in the 1980s. Her directorial work includes
Sept. 9, 2025