Busan Film Festival Innovation Committee Decides on Seven-Member Formation Plan

The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), which has recently been troubled by internal conflicts, announced that it will form an Innovation Committee to present internal organizational reforms and future visions.

The BIFF Innovation Committee Preparatory Committee held its third meeting yesterday to discuss the composition plan of the Innovation Committee.

[Photo by Yonhap News]

The Innovation Committee will be composed of one BIFF board member, one Busan Metropolitan City official, two Busan film industry professionals, two Seoul film industry professionals, and one Busan civic group representative.

Members participating in the Innovation Committee will not be allowed to participate in the subsequently formed BIFF board of directors, executive committee, or executive branch.

The Preparatory Committee will receive recommendations from various film sectors and civic groups and finalize the Innovation Committee members and agenda at the next meeting.

Earlier, BIFF Executive Committee Chair Heo Mun-young tendered his resignation on May 11, just two days after the appointment of Operations Committee Chair Jo Jong-guk.

Subsequently, the Korean Film Producers Association and the Korean Women Filmmakers Association issued statements demanding Heo’s reinstatement and the withdrawal of Jo’s appointment. Allegations of internal sexual harassment against Chair Heo surfaced, and the festival accepted his resignation.

On the 26th of last month, BIFF held an extraordinary board meeting and general assembly at the Busan Cinema Center and resolved to dismiss Chair Jo.

It remains to be seen whether the Busan International Film Festival, scheduled for early October, will be held normally.

Meanwhile, BIFF announced that it is recruiting this year’s volunteers until the 23rd.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.