BUSAN — Stars of Asian cinema gathered in the South Korean port city of Busan Thursday as the region’s biggest film festival geared up for its gala opening.



Showcasing Asian cinema at a time when box office takings in the region are growing faster than in North America, the 18th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) will open with the world premiere of Bhutanese musical drama “Vara: A Blessing”..



“Audiences will see and experience the rise and growth of Asian cinema,” festival director Lee Yong-Kwan told AFP. Busan will also “look into the future of Korean cinema as well as the cooperation we have with non-Asian regions,” he said.



The Busan event aims to showcase new Asian talent, with more than 300 films to be screened over 10 days, including 95 world premieres. Its New Currents competition offers two prizes of US$30,000 for first- or second-time Asian directors from a shortlist of 12 productions. — AFP