The JEONJU International Film Festival recognizes that the recent crisis of cinema in terms of policy, industry, and art necessitates the effort to find “alternatives” to the festival’s early spirit. Accordingly, the special exhibition Special Focus: Possible Cinemas will introduce positive alternative cases of creators making films in independent ways around the world. The JEONJU International Film Festival, which has presented a unique model of production investment since its early days, aims to find creative breakthroughs in low-budget films through this special exhibition.
Since December 3, 2024, South Korea’s democracy has faced a crisis, and it is unclear how much longer the chaos and aftermath will continue. This year’s JEONJU International Film Festival will present six documentaries in the Frontline section’s sub-section called Again, Towards Democracy. This sub-section explores political situations in various countries around the world that have gone through or are going through situations similar to South Korea’s. From Brazil, where the situation resembles South Korea’s to an astonishing degree with the occupation of the Supreme Court and rigged election allegations, to the bullying suffered by a Republican in the United States who held Trump accountable for the Capitol riots, and to young women in Sudan demanding democratization, the festival aims to provide an opportunity to reflect on the value of democracy.
The JEONJU International Film Festival, which has always sought out connections with the history of Korean cinema, is preparing several programs for this year’s edition. First up, the exhibition Bae Chang-ho: Between the Popular and the Experimental will focus on Bae Chang-ho, who was a popular star of the Korean film industry in the 1980s and 1990s, while also dabbling in experimental cinema. The exhibition will feature the world premiere of Bae Chang-ho’s documentary The Close Up of Bae Chang-ho, a film about his life and films, along with three of his works that convey a strong sense of both experimental and popular elements.
In addition, a program will be dedicated to the memory of the late writer Song Gil-han, who passed away at the end of last year. The JEONJU International Film Festival will present a Special Achievement Award to Song Gil-han, with whom the festival formed a close relationship since its establishment. It will also hold a special screening of his unfinished film that premiered at the 18th edition of the festival.
The 5th star for the J Special: Programmer of the Year in which the films fitting one’s cinematic views and preferences are introduced to the audience is actress Lee Jung-hyun. Lee Jung-hyun, who made her grand debut at the age of 15 by starring in the 1996 film A Petal before transforming into a popular music star and then returning to the film industry, will share her varied thoughts on films during this interesting event.
The JEONJU Cinema Project, a program in which the JEONJU International Film Festival directly participates in filmmaking to promote the production of low-budget feature films, will screen only one film this year: a new documentary by director Lee Il-ha, known for his films such as Counters (2017) and I Am More (2021). The film follows the life of Shin Sugok, a third-generation Korean-Japanese activist and entrepreneur who has struggled against the Japanese government’s irresponsibility and the domination of far-right politics. This film will hold even greater significance this year, marking the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation.
The WITHBOM(Barrier-free) film production project and special screening program which began in 2023 will be expanded further. Starting this year, the JEONJU International Film Festival will collaborate with the Persons with Disabilities Film Festival to screen more WITHBOM version films and expand the audience demographics to create an inclusive film culture and promote WITHBOM version. To achieve this, the JEONJU International Film Festival will organize the “JEONJU International Film Festival WITHBOM version Day” during which various WITHBOM version films will be screened with additional audio description and sign language interpretation. The festival will also arrange a WITHBOM Ambassador for broader promotion.
Starting last year, the opening day has been changed to Wednesday, a decision which was well-received both internally and externally for its effectiveness in spreading out the crowd and maintaining the continuity of early events. This year, there will be a 6-day bridge holiday starting from Thursday, the day after the opening, and lasting until Tuesday of the following week. Accordingly, we plan to maximize the effect of the Golden Week holiday by subdividing the audience and scheduling side events until the mid-tolate stages of the week. Although it will be difficult to increase the number of visitors dramatically as the seat occupancy rate is already close to 80% for the entire period, the strategic scheduling of the mid-tolate period is expected to disperse the first half of the audience, which is over 90%, and provide convenient viewing and participation.
Centering on the previously expanded hubs, new cultural spaces will be found throughout Jeonju with the aim of creating various venues. The Street Screening, which created a screening venue exclusive to Jeonju, faced difficulties last year due to an overwhelming number of visitors. This year, it will be held in more locations to stay true to its original purpose of introducing hidden small spaces in the region. The large-scale outdoor screenings, which will continue during the festival and through September, will also be held in new spaces that showcase Jeonju’s distinctive urban scenery.
100 Films 100 Posters, an event which has been held every year since 2015 with 100 graphic designers creating their own posters for the 100 films screened at the JEONJU International Film Festival, has gained support from the audiences as well as the fields of film and design over the past decade as a unique exhibition exclusive to a film festival. Last year, the space and operation schedule of the program were extended, and this year, new initiatives will be incorporated. A side exhibition comparing design posters and commercial posters has been prepared, along with an academic conference-style critique on the topic of “Film Festival Design”, going beyond “Film and Posters.” In addition to the exhibition, multifaceted and in-depth events on film and design such as design forums and workshops are currently being planned.
The JEONJU International Film Festival has not shied away from discussing not only issues within the film industry but also politically and socially sensitive topics during the festival period, providing a platform for in-depth discussions and achieving meaningful outcomes. Organizations such as “The Filmmakers’ Solidarity for Overcoming the Film Industry Crisis,” which was launched at the JEONJU Forum last year, and regional film networks, which have been facing significant challenges due to budget cuts, will be participating again this year to discuss issues not only in the film industry but also in the overall cultural industry. This year’s festival will especially focus on discussing the “crisis of Korean society” in addition to the topic of the still ongoing “crisis of Korean cinema.”
