To attend the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), use the festival’s official online booking and schedule pages, choose a specific screening and theater, and check live availability before traveling. BIFF runs October 6–15, 2026; as of October 13 the festival is underway and the September advance-sale windows have passed. Remaining seats may still be sold online, while on-site sales are limited to tickets not sold online.
BIFF 2026 at a glance
The 31st Busan International Film Festival takes place in Busan from October 6 through October 15, 2026. The festival’s official overview lists 31 screens across eight theaters and 316 films overall. That total includes Community BIFF, which accounts for 69 films.
| Item | 2026 information |
|---|---|
| Festival dates | October 6–15, 2026 |
| Screens and theaters | 31 screens in 8 theaters |
| Total films | 316, including Community BIFF |
| Community BIFF films | 69 |
| Advance ticket-sale dates | September 17 and September 21, 2026, at 14:00 KST |
| Ticket call center | 1666-9177 |
| Festival-period call-center hours | 09:00–20:30, according to the ticket announcement |
BIFF’s overview gives two different figures for official selections: its summary states 247, while feature text states 246. Because the festival page does not resolve that discrepancy, treat either number as a page-specific figure rather than presenting one as an uncontested total. The 316-film overall figure and the 69-film Community BIFF figure are separate counts.
When BIFF tickets went on sale—and what to do now
BIFF released its 2026 schedule on September 11 at 17:00 Korea Standard Time. Ticket sales then opened in two category-based waves.
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|---|---|
| September 17, 2026, 14:00 KST | Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Open Cinema, Midnight Passion, Actors’ House, and Community BIFF |
| September 21, 2026, 14:00 KST | Other general screenings, Cine Class, and Master Class |
Those advance-sale dates are over. The useful question during the festival is not when the original sale opened, but whether a seat remains for the screening you want. Start with BIFF’s live official ticket-booking page and its current schedule. Availability can change as reservations are canceled, and operational notices can change during the event.
BIFF says, “All standard seats are sold online.” It also provides on-site sales for tickets that remain unsold online. On-site availability is therefore not a guarantee of entry to a sold-out performance: if an online allocation has already gone, do not assume a ticket will appear at the box office.
How to buy a public BIFF screening ticket
- Open the official BIFF schedule. Use the date, theater, and section views to find the exact screening rather than searching only by film title.
- Check the theater and start time. A film may be shown away from Busan Cinema Center, and similarly titled events can have different venues or ticket categories.
- Follow the official booking link. Select the screening and the number of seats shown as available. BIFF’s published limit is a maximum of two tickets per screening code.
- Complete payment and save the mobile ticket. Keep the confirmation accessible on your phone, and make sure the film, date, time, and theater match your itinerary.
- Recheck before leaving for the venue. During the festival, look for cancellation, replacement, or venue notices on the official schedule and ticket pages.
- Use a BIFF Ticket Box if you need paper admission. Mobile tickets can be exchanged for paper tickets at BIFF Ticket Boxes. BIFF says mobile tickets allow quicker entry, so exchanging is optional rather than a required step.
Reservations are tied to the screening code, not to a general festival pass. If you want two different films, make sure each screening is booked separately and that the times do not overlap.
Refunds, cancellations, and arrival planning
BIFF’s ticket policy allows cancellations and refunds until 60 minutes before the screening. A cancellation fee is deducted according to the timing of the cancellation. The policy does not make a last-minute cancellation free, so check the amount shown in the booking system before confirming a change.
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- Keep enough time to reach the theater, collect or display your ticket, and find the correct auditorium.
- Do not schedule consecutive films in different theaters without allowing for the journey between them.
- If your plans change, cancel through the official ticket system before the 60-minute cutoff instead of simply missing the screening.
- For a same-day problem, check the live notice area first, then contact BIFF’s festival-period call center at 1666-9177 during the stated 09:00–20:30 operating window.
The festival home page and the ticket announcement show different general footer hours. For ticket questions during the festival, use the hours in the ticket announcement and verify same-day contact details on BIFF’s current site.
Where BIFF screenings are held
BIFF is a distributed festival rather than a single-building event. The official overview identifies 31 screens in eight theaters. The named venues are:
- Busan Cinema Center
- CGV Centum City
- LOTTE CINEMA Centum City
- KOFIC Theater
- Sohyang Theatre Woori Bank Hall
- Busan Community Media Center Open Hall
- MEGABOX Busan Theater, used for Community BIFF
- Catholic Center Space 101.1, used for Community BIFF
Do not treat Busan Cinema Center as the venue for every film. The schedule’s theater field is the authority for each individual performance. Community BIFF uses additional locations, so a Community BIFF ticket may require a different route from a regular selection screening.
Busan Cinema Center and Centum City
Busan Cinema Center is the festival’s most recognizable base, but it shares the program with several Centum City cinemas. When comparing screenings, check whether two films are in the same complex, in another Centum City theater, or in a separate part of Busan. A short gap on the timetable is only practical when the venues and auditorium access make it realistic.
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Community BIFF locations
Community BIFF adds MEGABOX Busan Theater and Catholic Center Space 101.1 to the named venue network. If you choose one of its 69 films, verify the precise location on the event listing and allow time for the transfer from any earlier screening.
How to find the screening schedule
BIFF provides schedule navigation by date, theater, and festival section, as well as separate listings for festival events. Use those views for different decisions:
| Schedule view | Best use | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Build a day-by-day plan | Start time, film, event type, and ticket status |
| Theater | Group screenings by location | Auditorium, neighboring venue, and transfer time |
| Section | Explore a strand or special program | Whether the listing is a regular film, class, or event |
| Festival events | Find ceremonies, talks, and other non-film activities | Separate admission rules and release category |
A reliable search sequence
- Write down the films or events you consider essential.
- Open the date view and record every possible showing.
- Switch to the theater view to see whether the options cluster geographically.
- Use the section view to identify special categories such as Open Cinema, Midnight Passion, Actors’ House, Cine Class, Master Class, or Community BIFF.
- Choose the available performance with enough time before and after it for movement, entry, and food or rest.
- Reopen the official page on the day of attendance for replacement or cancellation notices.
A film’s presence in the program does not mean every showing remains bookable. The live ticket indicator, not the printed or initial program listing, determines whether you can still reserve that performance.
Planning a multi-screening BIFF day
Start with availability, then optimize geography. A sold-out favorite is not a useful anchor unless you already hold a ticket; an available screening at a theater you can reach safely is the workable foundation for the day.
Build around priority films
Rank your choices as essential, preferred, and optional. Book the essential screenings first, then fill gaps with films in the same theater or a nearby venue. Keep an optional choice for each gap so a cancellation or sold-out status does not leave the whole day unusable.
Leave transfer time
The schedule tells you the screening times, not how long you will need to cross Busan, enter a venue, or find the right screen. Avoid booking an ending time that leaves only a few minutes before the next start, especially when the theaters differ. The eight-theater network makes theater verification part of ticket selection, not a final detail.
Recheck the itinerary
Review the schedule after each booking and again on the morning of attendance. Look for a changed theater, replacement notice, or a newly available seat created by a cancellation. Carry the exact theater name and screening time with the ticket rather than relying on memory of the festival map.
Special programs and different ticket categories
The release waves reflect different program types. Open Cinema, Midnight Passion, Actors’ House, Community BIFF, Cine Class, and Master Class are not interchangeable labels: they can have different release timing, locations, or event formats.
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Open Cinema was included in the September 17 release wave. Check the event listing and venue details for the specific performance; do not assume that the category uses the same auditorium or entry process as a standard indoor screening.
Midnight Passion
Midnight Passion also entered the first release wave. Late-night start times make transfer and return planning especially important. Confirm the exact date because a screening that begins after midnight may appear near the boundary between two calendar dates.
Actors’ House
Actors’ House was part of the first release group. Treat it as a listed festival event and verify whether the ticket page identifies a talk format, a screening, or both before planning another film immediately afterward.
Cine Class and Master Class
These categories were released with general screenings on September 21 at 14:00 KST. Their educational format can make them longer or operationally different from a standard film slot, so use the event duration and location shown in the live listing when arranging connections.
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BIFF’s 2026 ticket announcement identifies Barrier-Free presentations with audio description for audiences with visual impairments and closed captions for audiences with hearing impairments. It names 11 films. Use the current schedule markings to identify those presentations and confirm the specific access features for the showing you intend to attend.
The same announcement describes limited on-site ticketing for seniors aged 65 and over—defined there as people born in 1961 or earlier—and for persons with disabilities. The stated arrangement covers same-day and next-day general screenings at BIFF Ticket Boxes. For opening-day on-site general-screening tickets, the announcement says sales are only for the following day at the BIFF Outdoor Ticket Box at Busan Cinema Center.
These are limited allocations, not a promise of a seat. Eligibility rules, locations, and remaining inventory can be operationally sensitive during the festival. Confirm the current procedure with BIFF before relying on it, and arrive with any identification or documentation the ticket staff requests.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Tickets for Giving with Warmth
Films marked with a club symbol (♣) on the schedule participate in BIFF’s “Tickets for Giving with Warmth” program. A portion of ticket sales for those films is contributed to nonprofit organizations, including the Community Chest of Korea and Good Neighbors. The mark identifies the participating screening; it does not create a separate booking route or change the standard need to check live availability.
Public tickets versus Market Badge reservations
ACFM’s Guest Ticket Reservation Guide describes a separate system for official screening tickets reserved by Market Badge holders. The online reservation link is distributed by email, bookings are limited to same-day and next-day screenings, quantities are restricted, and third-party issuing or transfers are prohibited.
This route is for eligible industry badge holders, not ordinary festival visitors. A public ticket seeker should use BIFF’s normal booking page and should not attempt to obtain a Market Badge guest reservation through another person. The restrictions mean that a badge-holder booking cannot be treated as a spare public ticket.
What to do if a screening is sold out
- Check other showtimes. Search the same film by date and theater; a later or earlier performance may still have seats.
- Check the live page again. Cancellations can return inventory, but BIFF does not promise that a sold-out showing will reopen.
- Consider a different section or venue. If the film has multiple festival presentations, compare the section and theater listings rather than waiting only at one box office.
- Ask on-site staff about remaining unsold seats. On-site sales apply only to seats not sold online, so staff cannot guarantee entry to a performance that is already sold out.
- Keep a backup film. Choose one in a reachable theater and book it if the primary option remains unavailable.
Do not buy a ticket from an unofficial intermediary. BIFF’s public policy sets the two-ticket-per-screening-code limit, while the Market Badge guidance prohibits third-party issuing or transfers for that restricted system.
Day-of-attendance checklist
- Confirm the film title, screening code, date, start time, and theater.
- Check the current BIFF schedule for changes or replacement notices.
- Keep the mobile ticket charged and accessible; exchange it for paper only if you prefer or staff directs you to do so.
- Allow time for travel between venues, security or ticket checks, and locating the correct auditorium.
- If you need help, contact the BIFF call center at 1666-9177 during the festival-period hours listed in the ticket announcement, 09:00–20:30.
- For an eligible accessibility or senior/disability ticket, verify the current Ticket Box procedure before traveling.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still buy a BIFF 2026 ticket after September 21?
Yes, if the selected screening still has inventory. The advance-sale dates have passed, but BIFF’s live online booking remains the place to check current seats; on-site sales cover only tickets not sold online.
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How many tickets can one person reserve?
BIFF’s ticket announcement limits reservations to a maximum of two tickets per screening code.
Do I have to print a mobile ticket?
No. BIFF allows mobile tickets and says they can provide quicker entry. You may exchange a mobile ticket for a paper ticket at a BIFF Ticket Box.
How late can I cancel?
Cancellations and refunds are available until 60 minutes before the screening, with a fee deducted according to the cancellation timing.
Are all screenings at Busan Cinema Center?
No. BIFF uses eight theaters and 31 screens, including venues in Centum City and additional Community BIFF locations. Check the theater on every screening listing.
Where can I find Barrier-Free screenings?
Use the accessibility markings in BIFF’s current schedule. The 2026 ticket announcement identifies 11 Barrier-Free films with audio description and/or closed captions; confirm the feature for the particular showing.
Can a regular visitor use the ACFM guest-ticket link?
No. That reservation system is for Market Badge holders, with same-day and next-day limits and restrictions on third-party issuing or transfers. Public visitors should use BIFF’s standard ticket booking route.
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