The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has announced the introduction of a new international award, the ‘July Memorial Prize’, in commemoration of the July Uprising in Bangladesh. The award will debut at the festival’s 30th edition, scheduled to take place from September 17 to 26 in Busan, South Korea.
Established under the patronage of the South Korean Ministry of Culture, the prize will recognise one film from BIFF’s Vision Asia competition section. Eligible works must explore themes such as social justice, freedom of speech and expression, civil rights, and struggles against inequality.
Festival organisers confirmed that the first July Memorial Prize will be officially presented to the winning filmmaker on the festival’s closing day.
By introducing this award, BIFF not only marks its landmark anniversary but also honours the global resonance of the July Uprising, placing its legacy within the broader struggles for democracy and human rights across Asia.
