Rima Das, Shan Zuolong and Shim Eun-kyung Join Busan BIFF New Currents Jury

Who Are the New Currents Jurors?

The 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has announced a diverse trio to judge its flagship New Currents competition. Indian filmmaker Rima Das, Chinese producer Shan Zuolong and South Korean actress Shim Eun-kyung will each bring a distinct perspective to the selection process.

Rima Das: From Rural Assam to Global Recognition

Rima Das rose to international prominence with her debut feature The Last Poet, a quietly powerful story set in the hills of Assam. Her follow‑up, Village Rockstars, won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival and earned a nomination for the Best International Feature at the 2020 Academy Awards. Das is known for working with non‑professional actors and for handling production roles herself, a practice that aligns closely with the spirit of New Currents, which celebrates low‑budget, auteur‑driven cinema.

Shan Zuolong: A Producer Who Bridges East and West

Shan Zuolong has built a reputation as a cross‑cultural producer. He co‑produced Mountains May Depart, a film that opened the 2015 Berlin International Film Festival, and has been involved in co‑productions that link Chinese talent with European financing. His experience navigating international markets makes him an asset for evaluating films that aim for both artistic merit and global reach.

Shim Eun-kyung: The Actress Who Captured Hearts at Cannes

Shim Eun‑kyung gained worldwide attention for her role in Sunny, a box‑office hit in South Korea, and later for her performance in Miss Baek, which was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes. Her ability to convey nuanced emotion adds a valuable layer to the jury’s assessment of narrative depth and character development.

The Role of the New Currents Jury

New Currents is BIFF’s premier competition for first‑time Asian directors. Films selected for the competition must be debut features and are screened in the Competition or Vision sections. The award not only provides a cash prize but also offers a launchpad for filmmakers seeking distribution, festival invitations and industry connections.

The jury’s responsibilities include:

• Viewing all eligible entries during the festival schedule.
• Deliberating on artistic merit, storytelling innovation and cultural relevance.
• Selecting the winner and runner‑up, both of which receive a prize of US$30,000 each.

According to the official BIFF guidelines, the jury’s decision is final and is announced during the festival’s closing ceremony.

Why These Selections Matter

Each juror represents a different facet of Asian cinema:

1. Rima Das embodies the independent spirit of grassroots filmmaking.
2. Shan Zuolong reflects the growing importance of international co‑production.
3. Shim Eun‑kyung highlights the power of performance in narrative cinema.

The combination is likely to produce a balanced evaluation that rewards both technical proficiency and emotional resonance. Past New Currents winners, such as Joker (2015) and Shuttle (2020), have gone on to receive critical acclaim and commercial success, underscoring the competition’s impact.

What to Expect at This Year’s Festival

BIFF, held annually in October in Busan, South Korea, attracts over 300,000 attendees and showcases more than 300 films from around the world. The 31st edition will feature a record number of Asian debut features, reflecting the region’s vibrant storytelling landscape.

Key highlights include:

• A special retrospective of Asian women directors, aligning with Rima Das’s advocacy for gender parity.
• A series of panels on sustainable production, an area where Shan Zuolong has recently contributed research.
• A masterclass led by Shim Eun‑kyung on acting for socially relevant cinema.

Festival organizers have also expanded the Vision section, allowing more experimental works to be considered for the New Currents award. This move may broaden the scope of films that the jurors will evaluate.

How the New Currents Award Influences Careers

Winning the New Currents award often serves as a catalyst for wider recognition. For example, director Lee Chang‑dai’s film All in All secured distribution deals across Europe after receiving the award in 2018. Similarly, the 2022 winner, Moonlit Night, was later selected for the Cannes Critics’ Week.

Industry insiders note that the award’s prestige helps emerging directors attract financing for sophomore projects. The jury’s composition this year, with its blend of creative and production expertise, may signal a shift toward supporting films that are both artistically daring and commercially viable.

External Perspectives

Film scholars have praised BIFF’s commitment to nurturing new talent. Korean Film Council reports that the festival’s New Currents section contributes significantly to the regional film economy. Meanwhile, the official BIFF website provides detailed guidelines for filmmakers seeking entry, emphasizing the importance of originality and cultural specificity.

International coverage from Screen Daily highlights the growing global interest in Asian debut films, noting that festivals like Cannes and Venice increasingly select New Currents alumni for their line‑ups.

What This Means for Emerging Asian Directors

For filmmakers preparing submissions, the presence of Rima Das, Shan Zuolong and Shim Eun‑kyung on the jury offers both inspiration and a clear signal of the qualities that will be valued. Directors are encouraged to focus on authentic storytelling, innovative production methods and strong character work.

As the festival approaches, many anticipate that the jury’s decisions will set trends for the next wave of Asian cinema, influencing everything from narrative themes to distribution strategies.

With the New Currents jury now announced, the film community looks forward to a dynamic competition that could shape the careers of Asia’s next generation of storytellers.