Entertainment Desk:

Actor and filmmaker Nandita Das has been named to the seven-member competition jury at the 30th Busan International Film Festival, where Korean director Na Hong-jin will serve as jury president, the festival announced.

BIFF has launched a new competition category along with the Busan Award, with winners set to be announced during the closing ceremony.

Jury president Na Hong-jin is regarded as one of the leading contemporary voices in South Korean cinema. He is acclaimed for films like “Chaser”, “The Yellow Sea”, and “The Wailing”, all of which received international recognition. More recently, he produced the Thai-Korean co-production “The Medium”. His upcoming project, “Hope”, will star Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Hoyeon, Alicia Vikander, and Michael Fassbender.

Das, well-known in Indian cinema for performances in films like “Earth”, “Fire’, and “Bawandar”, made her directorial debut in 2008 with the critically acclaimed “Firaaq”. She has served on juries at several major international film festivals, including Cannes, and is also recognised for directing “Manto” and “Zwigato”.

The jury lineup also features renowned Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Ka-fai, known for acclaimed films such as “Reign Behind a Curtain”, “Farewell China”, “Center Stage”, “Dragon Inn”, “The Lover”, “Cold War”, and “The Shadow’s Edge”.

Another member, Marziyeh Meshkini, a prominent female filmmaker of Iran’s New Wave cinema and a graduate of the Makhmalbaf Film School, made her directorial debut with “The Day I Became a Woman”. Her other notable works include “Stray Dogs” and “The Man Who Came with the Snow”.

Korean-American director Kogonada is known for works such as “Columbus”, “After Yang”, and “Pachinko”. His upcoming film, “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey”, featuring Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell, is set to release in the United States on September 19, followed by its Korean release in October.

Jury member Yulia Evina Bhara, an Indonesian producer, has helped broaden the horizons of Southeast Asian cinema by supporting films such as “Solo”, “Solitude”, “The Science of Fictions”, “You and I”, “Whether the Weather Is Fine”, “Stone Turtle”, “Don’t Cry”, “Butterfly”, and “The Fox King”.

Han Hyo-joo, one of Korea’s top actors, is now expanding her presence on the global stage. She began her career in 2005 with “Nonstop 5″ and soon rose to fame through ‘Spring Waltz” and “Brilliant Legacy”. Her acclaimed works include “Dong Yi”, “Cold Eyes”, “Beauty Inside’, “Love, Lies”, and the series “Moving”.

BIFF Festival Director Jung Hanseok said, “As this is a newly introduced section, we aimed to bring in jury members with sharp judgment, bold viewpoints, and global influence. To ensure wider perspectives in the selection process, the Busan International Film Festival has expanded its jury from five to seven members this year. I am truly eager to see which of the year’s finest Asian films will be chosen by this esteemed panel, under the leadership of Jury President Na Hong-jin.”

The Busan Award will be presented in five categories: Best Film, Best Director, Special Jury Prize, Best Actor, and Artistic Contribution.