The 24th JEONJU International Film Festival Receives 1,299 Entries for its Korean Film Sections

- 111 films in Korean Competition, 1,141 films in Korean Competition for Shorts, and 47 films in Local Cinema were submitted.
- Ten more projects than the previous year in Local Cinema, including six feature-length films were submitted for the first time.
- Programmer MOON Seok said, “I can feel the filmmakers’ passion for production, applaud them working actively.”
The 24th JEONJU International Film Festival (JEONJU IFF, Festival Director MIN Sungwook, JUNG Junho) received a total of 1,299 entries for this year’s Korean film sections.

The 24th JEONJU IFF includes “Korean Competition” which introduces the first or second feature films of emerging filmmakers, “Korean Competition for Shorts” which presents short films in various genres, non-competitive sections, and “Local Cinema” which features films by directors based on Jeonbuk Province. Through this, a total of 1,299 films were submitted, including 111 films for the Korean Competition, 1,141 films for the Korean Competition for Shorts, and 47 films for the Local Cinema.

What is remarkable is that many feature-length films were submitted to the Local Cinema section. The section restrictively allows submissions that meet locational conditions: films by directors or producers who have an address in Jeonbuk Province or by students of local schools, or films shot more than 50% on location in Jeonbuk Province. Unlike the previous editions known as the gateway for short films produced around Jeonbuk Province, six of the submitted films were feature-length.

The JEONJU IFF explained this result as a sign that shows the JEONJU IFF’s support for local filmmakers has been established and became an opened door for artists in Jeonbuk Province, as well as a tangible achievement that proves regional-based feature-length films begin to be actively produced.

Also, there was a noticeably increased number of Local Cinema submissions. The JEONJU IFF received 28 films in 2021 and 37 films in 2022, while there were 47 entries this year, which is ten more films than the previous year. The Local Cinema entry comprises 41 fictional films, the highest proportion of total submissions, three documentaries, one animation, one experimental film, and one with other genres.

In the Korean Competition and Korean Competition for Shorts, a similar number of works were received as in the previous year: 81 fictional films, 21 documentaries, three experimental films, and six other genres in the Korean Competition, while 924 fictional films, 51 documentaries, 96 animations, 60 experimental films, and ten other genres in the Korean Competition for Shorts.

Programmer MOON Seok said, “As COVID-19 took on a long term, it weakened the production environment of creative fields at domestic and abroad, and this tendency was revealed in this year’s entry. Nevertheless, I felt the filmmakers’ passion in the fact that about 1,300 films were submitted. I applaud the filmmakers who have continued to struggle against all odds.”

Meanwhile, the 24th JEONJU IFF will be held for ten days from April 27th (Thu) to May 6th (Sat), 2023, in and around Jeonju Film Street.