Alfonso Cuarón's First Trip to Korea for the Busan International Film Festival

For the first time in his career, Alfonso Cuarón is setting foot on Korean soil. The two‑time Academy Award‑winning filmmaker will join a glittering international roster at the Busan International Film Festival, which kicks off on October 6 in the bustling port city.

According to the festival schedule, Cuarón will appear at the opening ceremony and then lead a master‑class where he’ll unpack the artistic choices and technical tricks that have defined movies like Gravity and Roma. As a bonus for fans, Busan will also host a special IMAX screening of Gravity, the 2013 space‑thriller that earned him his first Best Director Oscar.

The seasoned director isn’t coming alone. He’s traveling to support his son, Jonás Cuarón, whose latest picture Campeón Gabacho will enjoy its Asian premiere in the World Cinema section. After the screening, the younger Cuarón will field questions in a post‑film Q&A, offering insights into a story that follows a Mexican immigrant trying to carve out a life in the United States.

“Campeón Gabacho” stars Juan Daniel García Treviño, Leslie Grace, Rubén Blades, Eddie Marsan, Rosario Dawson and Cheech Marin. The film, co‑produced by Alfonso and Jonás through Esperanto Filmoj, blends humor with a sharp look at the immigrant experience.

Busan this year will be a star‑studded affair. Veteran actress Michelle Yeoh returns after a 15‑year gap to receive the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award, while the likes of Maggie Gyllenhaal, Isabelle Huppert, Hirokazu Koreeda and Lee Chang‑dong are also on the guest list. Korean heavyweights such as Jeon Do‑yeon, Lee Min‑ho and Hyun Bin will round out the home‑grown contingent.

The 31st edition runs through October 15, with the Asian Contents & Film Market taking place from the 10th to the 13th. Jury president Zhang Yimou, alongside Bi Gan, Kei Ishikawa and others, will judge the competition’s 13 titles.