“What is—and what should be—the spirit of the JEONJU International Film Festival today?”
This year's Special Focus emerges directly from this question—one that arises in every meeting where programming direction is set and film-related decisions are made. Within the world of Korean cinema, JEONJU IFF has carved out a space dedicated to the most fiercely independent films. In cinema, “independence” goes beyond funding and production methods to embrace aesthetic choices as well. Historically, these elements are—or perhaps have been—deeply interconnected.
In today's landscape with changes in the film industry and various issues arising in culture and art sectors, film festivals increasingly resemble one another, gradually abandoning the distinctive, fundamental identities they originally cultivated. Films now navigate the festival circuit based more on sales strategies than on a festival's unique character. Recently, on social media, Cannes proudly tallied the awards won by their premieres. It was a stark reminder that the film world, like our broader society, concentrates power among a privileged few, leaving nothing to the rest—creating profound inequality.
One of the reasons we prepared this special section is that filmmaking itself is growing increasingly challenging despite the decreasing differences between film festivals. Directors at every level—from newcomers to established names—spend years chasing funding. Today, the filmmaker's primary job has become fundraising, with the actual creative work seemingly secondary. Moreover, recent Oscar seasons have revealed how “independent” films are now acquired by studios that spend multiples of the production budget on promotion campaigns. With more money being spent on promotion than actual production, “independent” has become just another marketing label.
The producers and filmmakers featured in this year's Special Focus offer alternative approaches to the problems described above. At the very least, their work helps us believe that different paths remain possible in cinema. Hence, we have titled this special section Special Focus: Possible Cinemas.
Most directors introduced in this section have produced new works and share several key qualities. They maintain complete creative independence. They have developed distinctive artistic signatures. And they are prolific. These are genuine filmmakers who prioritize their craft over chasing after producers or funding, expressing the joy that comes from pursuing their art.
Perhaps most importantly, as their bodies of work grow, these creators develop unique styles while making films where aesthetics (what we see) are always aligned with ethics (how they are made) and speaking to the contemporary times and the way we understand cinema. Though this principle might seem straightforward, it is something the film industry—and the broader art world—seems to have largely forgotten. Therefore, it is admirable that their sustainable approaches to filmmaking, such as styles and production methods, and their worldviews connect directly to their personal lives.
Since its founding, JEONJU IFF has offered a unique production investment model. Through this year's Special Focus, we hope to seek creative breakthroughs for independent films. While these films may not answer all our questions, they demonstrate alternatives to the various prevailing challenges in the film industry. Beyond introducing great films to our audience, we aim to show aspiring filmmakers that there are paths beyond mainstream industry models. We hope this year's Special Focus sparks discussions about not just filmmaking and production approaches, but the very purpose of film festivals and broader questions about ethics and aesthetics in cinema. For the audience's better understanding, interviews with the featured filmmakers will be published as well. (Sung Moon)
