Iranian master director Majid Majidi’s “Bread and Book” won the grand prize at the 31st Busan International Film Festival on October 15, with the jury reaching a unanimous decision.
The Busan Award, the top honor of BIFF’s competition section, was presented during the closing ceremony at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae District. Competition jury chair Zhang Yimou, the Chinese filmmaker who led this year’s jury, announced the winner, saying the panel had reached a unanimous decision. Majidi attended the ceremony and walked the red carpet earlier in the afternoon.
Starting this year, the grand prize winner automatically qualifies for submission to the Academy Awards in the international feature film category, giving “Bread and Book” a direct ticket to the Oscars race. The film also screened as the festival’s closing film on the same day.
Taking the stage to accept the honor, Majidi dedicated the award to his mother, who died several months before filming began, and to the Iranian people defending their country under difficult circumstances. “I always say that the main characters of our films are the audience,” he said, thanking everyone who watched the film. He closed his remarks by saying he hoped for a world without war. The director added that he had long admired Zhang Yimou, expressing his gratitude and respect for the jury chair.
Elsewhere at the Busan Awards, best director went to Li Yunchan of Taiwan for “To Be Ordinary,” while the special jury prize went to Indonesia’s Eddie Cahyono for “My Mother.” Acting honors were split between Zhou Xun for “Loneliness at First Meeting” and Himeno Kashun of Japan for “Satoko Is Always,” and sound designer Li Danfeng earned the artistic contribution award for “Loneliness at First Meeting,” making that film a double winner. The New Currents Award, which targets debut works by emerging Asian directors, went to Shashank Walia of India for “Birds in the Dark.”
The competition section, introduced last year, entered its second edition this year. This was also the first BIFF held since the festival was officially recognized by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) as an A-list festival, drawing intense industry attention to the competition winners. The jury panel alongside Zhang Yimou included directors Bi Gan and Kei Ishikawa, actor Samal Yeslyamova, and Korean actor Choi Hee-seo. The festival screened 316 films in its official selection from 59 countries, including 93 world premieres, and drew more than 200,000 moviegoers, the first such turnout in 11 years.
With the win, Majidi joins a growing list of festival laureates who have parlayed Busan honors into international awards campaigns. The director’s team will now prepare the film’s submission for the Academy’s international feature category.
