Jeonju Film Festival Invites 217 Films from 56 Countries... Opening Film 'After Yang'

Opening on the 28th of Next Month
Special Korean Film Exhibition Featuring Lee Chang-dong and Taeheung Film Company

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] The 23rd Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) will be held for ten days from April 28 to May 7 at 19 theaters across 5 cinemas in Jeonju.

This year, 217 works from 56 countries have been invited, including 61 world premieres and 4 international premieres, attracting both domestic and international guests to the festival. Over 230 films will meet audiences across 18 sections.

The opening film is "After Yang," the new work by Korean-American director Kogonada, who directed Apple TV Plus's "Pachinko," and the closing film is "Full Time" by French director Eric Gravel from Canada, marking the end of the festival.

The number of submissions in the Korean Competition section this year is 124, a slight increase from last year's 108 submissions. A total of 9 films were selected: 8 feature films and 1 documentary in the Korean Competition.

The selected works are "Gyeong-a's Daughter" (director Kim Jeong-eun), "While I Was Lying Down" (director Choi Jeong-moon), "Secret Hill" (director Lee Ji-eun), "Archaeology of Love" (director Lee Wan-min), "Yoon Si-nae Has Disappeared" (director Kim Jin-hwa), "Saving Dragonflies" (director Hong Da-ye), "Jeongsoon" (director Jeong Ji-hye), "Paroho" (director Im Sang-soo), and "Exposure" (director Hong Yong-ho).

Programmer Moon Seok, who was in charge of judging, explained, "The most noticeable theme this year is family," adding, "Due to the prolonged pandemic, perspectives that had critically viewed the outside world seem to have turned inward toward internal worlds such as family and love."

The Korean Film Special Exhibition is also abundant. It includes director Lee Chang-dong's special exhibition "Lee Chang-dong: The Truth of the Invisible," the retrospective of Taeheung Film Company "Chungmuro's Legendary House Taeheung Film Company," and the newly established "J Special: Programmer of the Year" held during the festival period. In the second "J Special" exhibition, director Yeon Sang-ho of "Train to Busan" will serve as the special programmer, following actress Ryu Hyun-kyung.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.