Asian teen films take center stage at Busan International Film Festival
A celebration of youth and self-discovery
The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) is gearing up for its 29th edition this October, and this year, it promises to shine a spotlight on Asian-produced teen and coming-of-age films. This special section will feature a diverse array of ten titles, blending notable recent productions with a couple of world premieres.
Noteworthy selections
Among the highlighted films is the Malaysian body horror and self-discovery title Tiger Stripes, which has already made waves by winning the Grand Prix Prize in Critics Week at Cannes in 2023. Despite being selected as Malaysia’s Oscar contender, it faced censorship challenges back home.
Other significant entries include:
- City of Wind, which earned the Orizzonti Award for best actor at Venice last year.
- My Sunshine by Okuyama Hiroshi, featured in this year’s Cannes Un Certain Regard section.
- Happyend by Sora Neo, set to play at Venice next month.
- Girls Will Be Girls by Shuchi Talati, which won the audience awards at Sundance in January.
- Fishbone, a screenwriting prize winner at June’s Shanghai International Film Festival.
World premieres
The festival will also host the world premieres of two films:
- The Uniform by Taiwan’s Chuang Ching-shen, a story about students sharing the same desk, one during the day and one at night.
- Water Can Go Anywhere by China’s Fang Liang, which follows youngsters who move to a big city in search of employment.
The inspiration behind the focus
This year’s ‘Special Program in Focus’ was inspired by the recent surge in exceptional teen coming-of-age films produced in Asia. Festival organizers noted that Taiwan and Japan have a rich history of creating outstanding coming-of-age films, such as:
- A Brighter Summer Day (1991) by Edward Yang
- The Time to Live and the Time to Die (1985) by Hou Hsiao Hsien
- Nobody Knows (2004) by Kore-eda Hirokazu
- Linda Linda Linda (2005) by Yamashita Nobuhiro
- All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001) by Iwai Shunji
- Kids Return (1996) by Kitano Takeshi
Expanding horizons
The expertise in crafting compelling teenage narratives is now spreading across other Asian countries. Following the acclaim received by Korean films such as:
- House of Hummingbird (2018)
- The World of Us (2016)
- Moving On (2019)
We are witnessing a rapid growth in teenage narratives from various Asian countries, including:
- Tiger Stripes from Malaysia
- City of Wind from Mongolia
- Girls Will Be Girls (2024) from India
Capturing the essence of youth
These stories resonate with audiences by offering a candid perspective on the hidden truths of the world through the eyes of teenagers. They explore themes of love and sexuality in teen life, sometimes brazenly, sometimes nostalgically, but always in a way that is endearing to audiences of all ages.
The Busan International Film Festival will run from October 2-11, with the full selection to be announced on September 3. This year’s focus on Asian teen films promises to be a captivating journey into the heart of youth and self-discovery, showcasing the rich tapestry of stories emerging from the region.