Young Pioneer Tours is thrilled to announce that, after a five-year hiatus due to the border closure, the 18th Pyongyang International Film Festival will be held in Pyongyang from October 22 to 27, 2025.

Pyongyang International Film Festival: Submission

Submissions for the 18th Pyongyang International Film Festival are now open.

YPT have been bringing tour groups to PIFF for years, but this year Young Pioneer Tours is the official agent of the Pyongyang International Film Festival, and at this time, we are only accepting film submissions – not spectators.

Genre: All types of films are welcome, including features, narratives, shorts, documentaries, and animations.

Production Country: Films may come from any country except the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (South Korea).

Release Date: For exhibition purposes, films from any year are eligible. However, to be considered for competition, films must have been completed no earlier than January 2024, a world premiere is not required.

Submissions should be sent to media@youngpioneertours.com. Your film should be sent in .mp4, .mov, or DCP format, along with the required entry form, which can be downloaded below:

The official submission deadline is August 15, 2025.

The Film Organising Committee bears double fare and living expenses for 1 of the film delegation selected for the competition (2, if the director or the leading actor is involved) and living expenses for 2 of the film delegation selected for the non-competition.

Pyongyang International Film Festival: Introduction

⁠Pyongyang International Film Festival (PIFF) is an annual international cultural event that was first held in 2002. Its aim is to develop the art of cinema by promoting exchange and cooperation between world film makers all over the world under the ideal of Independence, Peace and Friendship.

PIFF was last held in 2019, and has been on hiatus due to border closures and COVID-19.

YPT and the PIFF

Over the years, Young Pioneer Tours has been the official agent of the Pyongyang International Film Festival and has brought groups to PIFF. We are now expanding our collaboration with the festival to showcase a diverse range of films. This initiative provides an important opportunity for cultural exchange, allowing local audiences to experience foreign films that are not typically shown in the DPRK.

Pyongyang International Film Festival: Venue

The main venue of the 18th Pyongyang International Film Festival is the five-plex Pyongyang International Cinema House, with films also screened in other cinemas around the city.

Pyongyang International Film Festival: Prizes

The Pyongyang International Film Festival features a comprehensive array of awards that recognize excellence across multiple categories of filmmaking. The festival’s highest honor is the Grand Prix, awarded to one outstanding film.

In the Feature Film Competition, a total of 11 awards are presented, including: Best Screenplay; Best Direction; Best Photography; Best Actor; Best Actress; Best Figurant; Best Figurante; Best Art; Best Music; Best Technique (Special Display Effect); Best Sound Effect.

In addition to feature films, the festival also presents awards for other formats and categories, including: Best Documentary; Best Short Film; Best Animation.

Further distinctions include the Special Jury Award, and the Special Award of the Festival Organizing Committee, which is granted to two films. Additionally, five films are selected for the Prize for Special Screening, recognizing noteworthy works screened outside of competition.

The 18th Pyongyang International Film Festival 2025: What to Expect?

The 18th Pyongyang International Film Festival marks a significant return after a five-year hiatus. During the period of border closures, the North Korean film industry has undergone remarkable transformation and development.

After 2016, North Korea ceased producing narrative feature films until 2022, when it released a new film titled One Day, One Night. The movie tells the story of a devoted nurse working in the household of a traitorous high-ranking official, who uncovers and thwarts a conspiracy against the Great Leader Kim Il Sung. With a tightly woven plot and even elements reminiscent of horror cinema, the film caused a major stir upon its domestic release. Its much-anticipated sequel, Day and Night of the Duel, premiered in 2025 and sparked another wave of cinematic enthusiasm across the country.

In 2024, 72 Hours, a film that was made under Marshall Kim Jong Un’s guidance, portraying the Korean People’s Army’s capture of Seoul during the Korean War was released. This four-hour epic is both technically impressive and narratively grand, showcasing large-scale battle sequences and high production value.

At the 2025 Pyongyang International Film Festival, attendees will have the rare opportunity to engage with North Korean filmmakers and gain insights into the country’s evolving film production landscape.

The festival also enjoys immense popularity among local audiences in Pyongyang, where tickets are often sold out quickly. North Koreans are known for their strong curiosity and enthusiasm for foreign cinema. Screening your film at PIFF not only ensures it reaches a wide and engaged audience but also contributes meaningfully to international cultural exchange.

History of the Festival

The event began in 1987 as the Pyongyang Film Festival of the Non-Aligned and Other Developing Countries, showcasing short films, features, and documentaries. In 1990, the festival became a biennial event, often highlighting domestic films that celebrated the nation’s leadership, such as the 1992 entry “Glory of Our People in Holding the Great Leader in High Esteem,” along with international films on revolutionary themes. Films beyond the original non-aligned and developing countries have been able to participate from 2002 onwards.

The 2004 edition, further expanded cultural exchange by screening a dubbed version of the British comedy “Bend It Like Beckham,” which won the music prize and later became the first Western film broadcast on North Korean television. Additionally, the South African drama “Cry, The Beloved Country” was featured.

In 2006, the Swedish horror-comedy “Frostbite” was shown, marking the debut of a foreign horror film in the country. That year also saw the release of “The Schoolgirl’s Diary,” the first North Korean film in decades to secure international distribution, as it was acquired by French company Pretty Pictures and released in France in late 2007.