Iranian director Majid Majidi’s film "Midday Meal" won the top prize at the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) in South Korea, securing automatic eligibility for the Academy Awards’ international feature category. The festival, recognized as Asia’s largest film event, featured 13 films competing in its recently established competition section, now in its second year.

The jury, chaired by acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou, awarded the prize to Majidi’s drama that centers on a teacher in a poor Iranian village who resorts to smuggling to sustain his struggling school. Majidi dedicated the award to his late mother and expressed admiration for the resilience of the Iranian people amid ongoing tensions with the United States, encompassing years of economic sanctions and restricted access to medical supplies.

This year’s win holds particular importance due to recent changes by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to the rules governing the international feature category. Under the revised guidelines announced in May, winners of several major international film festivals—including Busan, Cannes, and Berlin—are granted immediate eligibility for Oscar consideration. This marks a shift from the former system, which limited submissions to one film per country, selected by Academy-approved committees. The pool of eligible films is then narrowed down to five nominees.

The festival kicked off with the South Korean drama "The Table: Day and Night," directed by Kim Jong-kwan. This year’s event showcased a record 315 films, with 246 officially selected titles marking the largest lineup since 2019.

In addition to the top prize, the festival honored Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh with the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award, recognizing her achievements in the industry. Hong Kong director Ann Hui received the Camellia Award for her significant contributions to advancing women’s roles in filmmaking.

Busan continues to serve as a vibrant platform for emerging and established Asian filmmakers, further solidifying its reputation as a key incubator for cinematic talent across the region.