Filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón and his son Jonás Cuarón took part in a special film conversation at the 31st Busan International Film Festival on October 8, bringing two generations of internationally recognized cinema talent to the festival’s program. Their appearance was part of BIFF’s filmmaker discussions and came as the festival entered its second week in Busan. The event focused on the relationship between the two filmmakers and the ways their careers have developed alongside one another. Alfonso Cuarón is known internationally for films including “Gravity” and “Roma,” while Jonás Cuarón has built his own directing career with projects such as “Chupa” and “The Black Demon.” Their shared appearance offered audiences a chance to discuss filmmaking as both a family influence and an individual creative pursuit. For international visitors, the conversation illustrated the breadth of BIFF’s role in the Asian film calendar.
The festival is not limited to screenings of Korean productions; it also brings major international filmmakers, actors and industry figures to Busan for public talks, master classes and audience events. That combination has helped make BIFF a meeting point between Korean audiences and global cinema. The 31st edition of the festival is taking place from October 6 through October 15 at the Busan Cinema Center and other venues around the city. Alongside its official selection, BIFF is hosting outdoor stage greetings, open talks, filmmaker sessions and special programs. Community BIFF, a participatory program curated with audience involvement, runs from October 8 through October 11 in Nampo-dong, a district closely associated with the festival’s history and Busan’s cinema culture.
This year’s program also includes conversations with filmmakers working across different parts of the global industry. The festival has scheduled master classes and special talks with directors from Korea and abroad, giving audiences opportunities to hear about creative process, film history and the practical realities of making movies. The Cuarón appearance matters in that wider context. Rather than treating international cinema as a collection of imported titles, BIFF’s public discussions invite audiences into the ideas and relationships behind the films. For visitors attending the festival, these talks provide a more personal complement to screenings and offer a direct way to engage with filmmakers whose work has reached audiences far beyond their home countries.