The Jeonju International Film Festival (Co-Executive Directors Min Sung-wook and Jung Joon-ho) has announced its selections for the Korean Cinema section.
The 26th Jeonju International Film Festival will feature a total of 38 films in the Korean Cinema section, including 20 feature films and 18 shorts, marking a record number of entries. The competition was fierce due to the high quality of submissions. The number of entries reached an all-time high, with 114 feature films submitted for the non-competitive section, a significant increase from last year's 88.
The Korean Cinema section at Jeonju is a showcase of independent and artistic films from Korea, featuring works that are either Korea Premieres or have higher premiere status. Last year's selections, such as "Voices" (2024), "A Song of Korean Factory Girls" (2024), and "When the Summer Is Over" (2024), have been recognized for their artistic merit at various festivals and theaters.
This year, six documentaries with diverse themes are particularly noteworthy. In commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation, two documentaries address Korea-Japan relations. Director Im Heung-soon's "Memory Shower Sea" (literal title) explores painful historical events, including the massacre of Koreans during the Great Kanto Earthquake, through the story of Kim Dong-il, a descendant of an anti-Japanese activist. Director Kim Yi-hyang's "Stranger's Garden" (literal title) intimately discusses the identity of Korean-Japanese individuals.
Other documentaries include Kim Hwa-yong's "Where Have All the Birds Gone?" (literal title) which questions humanity's perception of animals and minorities, Yoon Han-seok's "Pink Moon" (literal title) about pioneering feminist artist Yoon Suk-nam, and Seo Han-sol's "Heart to Heart" (literal title), focusing on the Heart Heart Orchestra for people with developmental disabilities.
LGBTQ themes, which have been prominent in both the Korean Competition and Korean Short Competition, also stand out in the Korean Cinema section. Director Kim Il-ran's new documentary "Edhi & Alice" highlights the lives of Edhi and Alice, an individual who transitioned from male to female.
Among the feature films, Director Kim Jo-kwang-soo's melodramatic drama "I Dreamt I Told You" (literal title) and Director Kim Dae-hwan's "It Must Be a Secret" (literal title), which reveals family secrets, both explore LGBTQ themes.
Actor Lee Hee-jun, who previously showcased "Mad Rush" at the 19th Jeonju International Film Festival, presents his first feature film "Rectangle, Triangle" (literal title). Actress Moon Hye-in, known for her work in independent films like "Inserts" (2024) and "The Fifth Thoracic Vertebra" (2022), debuts her first feature "Samhee: The Adventure of 3 Joys" (literal title). Actor Lee Jung-hyun, this year's programmer for the festival, debuts with the short film "Going to the Flower Festival" (literal title).
"Sea Tiger" (literal title), directed by Jung Yoon-chul, known for "Marathon" (2005) and "Warriors of the Dawn" (2017), tells the story of the late Kim Kwan-hong, a diver during the Sewol Ferry disaster. Director Shim Hyung-jun's "Clear" (literal title), starring singer and actor Kim Pooreum, is a docufiction addressing environmental issues.
Familiar names returning to Jeonju include directors who have become regulars at the festival. Director Go Bong-soo brings his unique humor and bittersweet charm with "Güle-Güle," while Director Choi Chang-hwan returns with "Layover Hotel" (literal title), a story about unexpected events at a layover hotel. Director Kim Dae-hwan, returning after eight years, presents "It Must Be a Secret" (literal title), and Director Shin Dong-min, a two-time winner of the Korean Competition Grand Prize, returns with the short film "Dogs in the Sun."
Director Baek Jong-gwan, who was invited to the Korean Short Competition at the 17th and 18th Jeonju International Film Festivals, presents his new work "Trial and Initiation" (literal title). Director Park Se-young, who received the Special Jury Prize for "Twilight" (2024) last year, returns with "Please Give Me That Corner Seat" (literal title). Director Park Kyung-geun, who won at the Berlin International Film Festival with "A Dream of Iron" (2014), presents "Baek Hyun-jin Show: The End of Civilization" (literal title). Emerging directors like Cha Jung-yoon with "House Behind Bars" and Han Ji-soo with "Manhole" are also gaining attention.
The wide range of films in the Korean Cinema section can be experienced at the 26th Jeonju International Film Festival, which will take place from April 30 to May 9, 2025, in Jeonju's Film Street and surrounding areas.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)