Busan Fieldguide · Opening night
Plan your red-carpet evening at Busan Cinema Center.
Why opening night is worth a look
Kim Minha is the announced solo host of the opening ceremony and appears in opening film The Table: Day and Night. Michelle Yeoh has been named Asian Filmmaker of the Year, with the award scheduled to be presented at the 6 October opening ceremony.
BIFF: Michelle Yeoh award announcement ↗
Your opening-night timeline
Published timetable ends at 21:40; operations may change.
The programme lists code 001 at 18:00 for the opening event. That is not the film’s start time: the separate ceremony guide schedules the screening for 20:20. Plan your arrival around the admission window and follow the instructions on your ticket.
Tickets, transport and what to bring
Opening-ceremony tickets are ₩30,000. Sales began on 17 September through BIFF’s official portal; remaining seats have not been checked. The general booking limit is two tickets per code.
Use public transport where possible. BIFF lists no designated ceremony parking. Centumseo-ro is fully closed from 17:00–23:00, with partial restrictions on Suyeonggangbyeon-daero and Centum 5-ro from 17:30–19:30. A taxi to the entrance may therefore be less convenient than it sounds.
Bring your phone and earphones: an AI-based multilingual interpretation service is announced for ceremony attendees. Large suitcases are restricted; store luggage before arriving. Photography and filming are prohibited during the film.
Traffic restrictions, interpretation and entry rules ↗
If opening-night tickets are unavailable
The opening film also has regular festival screenings; the film guide lists alternatives. For an actor encounter, compare the free outdoor programme and the separately ticketed Actors’ House schedule. Neither provides entry to the opening ceremony.
The 15 October closing presentation is scheduled to show the Busan Award Best Film winner; its title is not yet announced. Avoid choosing a closing-night ticket on the assumption that a particular film has already been selected.