North Korea resumes international film festival

Photo: Reuters, photo editor: Adelina Mamedova

North Korea’s only international film festival — the Pyongyang International Film Festival (PIFF) — made a comeback on Oct. 22, 2025, after last being held in 2019, ChosunBiz reported.

This marks the 18th edition of the festival, one of the few legal channels for watching foreign films in the country’s capital since its inception in 1987. The event was revived following the 17th edition held in the fall of 2019, which had been suspended amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the media outlet, 92 entries were submitted this year, with 11 selected as nominees. The participating countries included Indonesia, Poland and Mexico. Notably, Japanese, South Korean and American films are banned from participating in the event.

The DPRK appears to be working on promoting tourism by resuming international events, including the Pyongyang International Marathon, after a six-year break. At the same time, tourism remains limited to those participating in such events.

Previously, a North Korean restaurant named Pyongyang opened in Moscow, staffed by North Korean personnel and serving a classic Korean menu, with North Korean television playing on screens and Pyongyang magazines on display.