World Cinema presents a diverse selection of films from across the globe, featuring works that offer unique visions, push boundaries in formats, share significant messages, each exemplifying remarkable craftsmanship. This year, 25 films, including those acclaimed at renowned international film festivals, are poised to captivate audiences.

Again this year, many Asian films will be introduced in this section. Among them is An Unfinished Film, a film by Chinese director Lou Ye, known to us for works like Summer Palace (2006) and Suzhou River (2000). Set against the backdrop of the COVID-19 era, it combines fiction with real social media footage to vividly capture the early days of the pandemic. Following that, Black Ox, by Japanese director Tsuta Tetsuichiro, and Stranger Eyes, by Singapore's Yeo Siew Hua, both star actor Lee Kang-Sheng, whose strong ties to the JEONJU IFF continue to flourish this year. Meanwhile, Mistress Dispeller, directed by Hong Kong filmmaker Elizabeth Lo, is a distinctive documentary that explores the profession of ending a husband's affair and bringing him back home, and the story surrounding it. Park, by Taiwanese director So Yo-Hen, stands out for its intriguing exploration of the theme of diaspora, shaped by the director's background as a visual artist. Mongrels, directed by Jerome Yoo, a Korean-Canadian actor and director, focuses on the story of a Korean family who made Canada their home. Winter in Sokcho, a film by Japanese-French director Koya Kamura, is adapted from the novel of the same title by Korean-French author Elisa Shua Dusapin. Moreover, The Wolves Always Come at Night, helmed by Australian director Gabrielle Brady, powerfully portrays the emotional turmoil experienced by Mongolian herders as they face climate change and the challenges of moving to urban areas. Directed by Belkis Bayrak, a filmmaker from Türkiye, Gülizar follows the story of a bride-to-be, who sets off from Türkiye to Kosovo, eager for a fresh start. A violent incident on her journey, however, forces her to reconsider the course her life is taking.

Like actor Lee Kang-Sheng, this year's lineup also includes new films from directors with ties to the JEONJU IFF; we will see Measures for a Funeral, directed by Sofia Bohdanowicz, who presented MS Slavic 7 at the 21st JEONJU IFF; Southern Brides, directed by Elena López Riera, who screened The Water at the 23rd JEONJU IFF; and Ariel, directed by Lois Patiño, whose film Samsara was selected for the JEONJU Cinema Project and shown at the 23rd JEONJU IFF. In addition, several highly anticipated films will be screened, such as The Balconettes, written by Céline Sciamma and directed by Noémie Merlant, I'm Still Here, directed by Walter Salles, which won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, and The Message, directed by Iván Fund, which received the Silver Bear Jury Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival. Also, Teki Cometh, directed by Yoshida Daihachi, which won three awards at the Tokyo International Film Festival, and On Falling, directed by Laura Carreira, who was awarded the Silver Shell for Best Director at the San Sebastian International Film Festival. Furthermore, this section will showcase two documentaries about French cinematic giants, François Truffaut, My Life, a Screenplay and Jacques Demy, the Pink and the Black, which are sure to evoke nostalgia in cinephiles, along with Beating Hearts and Bird, films that stand out for their youthful energy, among many other diverse selections. (Chun Jinsu)