The Jeonju International Film Festival, co-chaired by Min Sung-wook and Jung Joon-ho, has announced the 10 finalists for its International Competition.
The 26th Jeonju International Film Festival's International Competition section showcases first or second feature films by directors, regardless of genre, with a focus on works premiering in Asia. Submissions were open for about two months, from November last year to January this year, and a total of 662 films from 86 countries were submitted.
The preliminary jury included Paola Buontempo, Son Hyo-jung, and Jeonju programmers Moon Seok, Moon Sung-kyung, and Jeon Jin-soo. Representing the jury, Jeon Jin-soo commented, "For two consecutive years, over 200 documentaries have been submitted. Many of these are 'personal documentaries' reflecting the directors' own experiences, likely due to the challenging production environment post-COVID-19. Support for creators is crucial," he emphasized.
Among the selected films, several delicately highlight individual lives. "The Poet's Heart" (literal title) a documentary by Chinese director Chen Deming, tells the beautiful story of a young boy from a rural Chinese village who grows and changes through poetry. "Ulysses" (literal title), directed by Uwagawa Hikaru, is composed of three episodes that quietly observe and savor the intricate details of the characters' lives. Joel Alfonso Vargas's "Too Many Debts to Pay" (literal title) candidly portrays the lives of Dominican Americans in the Bronx, New York.
Suhel Banerjee's "Cycle Mahesh" (literal title) employs an intriguing narrative style, blending fiction and non-fiction to tell the story of a young man who cycled 2,000 km back to his hometown during the COVID-19 pandemic. Devin Sears's Canadian film "Baby Angel" (literal title) intricately depicts the subtle psychology of its large-framed protagonist.
French director Antoine Vess's "Emergency" (literal title) is set in a rural French village and tells the story of a boy and an outsider youth who bond over skateboarding. Isabella Brunecker's debut film "Sugarland" (literal title) stands out with its minimalist style and outstanding performances, all set within the confined space of a car. "The Last Song of Fedor Ozerov" (literal title) by Yuri Semashko, a Belarusian director now living in exile in Poland, portrays a creative generation striving to transcend harsh realities with a bright and pure tone.
Argentinian director Martin Safia's debut "And the Mist" (literal title) explores a man's attempt to reconcile with his past. "Records of Resistance" (literal title), co-directed by Spain's Alejandro Alvarado Jodar and Concha Barquero Artes, reinterprets and reconstructs Fernando Luis Bargara's unfinished project "Rocio"(literal title) from a contemporary perspective. Due to the political climate in Spain at the time, Bargara faced censorship and confiscation, eventually relocating to Portugal.
Jeon Jin-soo expressed his admiration for all the directors who submitted their films to the Jeonju International Film Festival, stating, "Despite challenging circumstances, many creators have made efforts to view and express the world through their unique cinematic language." He extended his gratitude to the films that participated in the festival.
The 26th Jeonju International Film Festival is scheduled to take place from April 30 (Wednesday) to May 9 (Friday), 2025, in various locations around Jeonju, including the Jeonju Film Street.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)