JIMFF: Music? Films? Why Not Both?

The eighth Jecheon International Music and Film Festival begins with musical "Moby Dick" at the opening ceremony held nearby Lake Cheongpung in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, South Korea on August 9, 2012. [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

Don’t miss Cinema Concert, where the true meaning of the JIMFF begins.

Music and films have always been an inseparable pair ever since the adoption of sound into the film industry. The dynamic effect of music on the filmmaking process has not only made a huge contribution to the cinema scene but also entertaining people.

Into its eighth edition, the Jecheon International Music and Film Festival [JIMFF] aims to closely mirror the history and future of the cinema and music at Jecheon, a small scenic lakeside city of 140,000 in North Chungcheong Province, from August 9 to 15.

Kicking off the seven-day run with Swedish film “Searching for Sugar Man” by a director Malik Bendjelloul, organizers have invited over 50 artists from different genres and 100 films from Korea and abroad.

The highlight of the event comes at the cinema concert, which is undeniably one of the symbolic programs held during the annual festival. The show brings out the true meaning of the fest by displaying how the cinema music scene began.

While two American music films get screened at Cheongpung River Stage, a band will play music pieces deeply rooted in raw emotions at the scenic outdoor venue.

This year, the JIMFF organizers have arranged “The Camaraman” by director Edward Sedgwick Buster Keaton and “The Navigator” by Buster Keaton Donald Crisp.

Starring Buster Keaton and Marceline Day, “The Cameraman” is a 1928 American silent comedy pic depicts a bumbling man named Buster, who aspires to become a motion film cameraman to impress a woman, Sally, working at MGM Studios.

The film, which shows hilarious gags of Buster completely getting smitten by Sally’s charm and beauty, was chosen for preservation in the states’ National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2005. The officials described the pic as a “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” feature.

Meanwhile, “The Navigator” was produced four years before the aforementioned landmark film. The film was penned by Clyde Bruckman and starrs Buster Keaton.

This old comedy flick is known for capturing some of the most elaborate stunts by Keaton. Buster Keaton navigates in the open sea with his love and after the long journey, they reach a remoted island but soon get chased by a group of cannibals.

While Marc Perrone plays accordion during the screening of “The Cameraman,” Sinnaneun Seom of Joyfulisland will perform during the premiere of “The Navigator” to bring the festival spirit to new heights.


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