Michelle Yeoh named Asian Filmmaker of the Year at Busan Film Festival

Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh will receive the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award at the 31st Busan International Film Festival, organisers announced on Aug 6.

Presented annually since 2003, the South Korean award recognises film professionals or organisations that have made exceptional contributions to Asian cinema. Past recipients include Iranian director Jafar Panahi (2025), Japanese filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa (2024) and Hong Kong stars Chow Yun Fat (2023) and Tony Leung Chiu Wai (2022).

Yeoh rose to prominence in Hong Kong action cinema with Yes, Madam (1985), Police Story 3: Supercop (1992) and Wing Chun (1994) before crossing over to Hollywood in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) and Taiwanese director Lee Ang’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).

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Yeoh’s more recent credits include Crazy Rich Asians (2018), Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings (2021) and Wicked (2024).

The 64-year-old made Oscar history in 2023 when she won Best Actress for the film Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022), becoming the first Asian to win in the category.

The role also brought her top honours at the Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Golden Globes that awards season. In February, she became the first Asian woman to receive the Honorary Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Yeoh’s ties to the Busan festival dated back to 2002, when she visited the city for the Pusan Promotion Plan, now known as the Asian Project Market.

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Several of her films have screened at the festival since, including Far North (2007), Reign Of Assassins (2010), The Lady (2011), Master Z: Ip Man Legacy - the closing film of the 2018 edition - and Everything Everywhere All At Once. 2026 marks her first trip to the festival since The Lady in 2011.

In 2026, four of her films will screen in a special programme - Reign Of Assassins, Everything Everywhere All At Once and the 2026 short Sandiwara, along with her latest feature, It’s My Time (2026).

The Busan award will be presented at the opening ceremony on Oct. 6. The festival runs through Oct 15 at venues across the city. - The Korea Herald/ANN