The 24th JEONJU International Film Festival Draws a Total of 604 Entries from 83 Countries for International Competition, the Highest Record of All Time!

- 113 more films and eight more countries participate in the International Competition, compared to the previous year

- Numerous entries from European and Asian countries; increased number of entries from Asian countries, including China, Japan, and India

- Programmer CHUN Jinsu, “The number of entries increases every year... feels like the festival is gaining recognition from filmmakers around the world.”

The JEONJU International Film Festival (JEONJU IFF, Festival Co-Director Min Sungwook and Jung Junho) announced that a total of 604 films from 83 countries have been submitted for this year’s International Competition, a record-setting figure for the festival.

During the submission period (November 23, 2022, to January 18, 2023), the 24th JEONJU IFF received 604 films from 83 countries for the International Competition, following the submission of 398 films from 68 countries and 491 films from 75 countries in the past two years. This year, the submission increased by 113 more films and eight more countries compared to last year. There was a dramatic rise in the number of entries from the previous years, which shows that JEONJU IFF has further solidified its position as an international film festival.

Narrative films account for the majority of the entries submitted this year, numbering 357, followed by 188 documentaries, 6 animations, 30 experimental films, and 23 films with other genres. It is noteworthy that the number of documentary submissions increased by 20 compared to the previous year. It seems that a series of major historical events, such as the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, has influenced the creative direction of filmmakers.

By continent, the largest number of entries were from Europe, followed by Asia, and South America; by country, China topped the list with 52 films, followed by 46 films from Japan and 39 films from Argentina, India, and Italy. It is worthy of noticing that a majority of Asian countries were ranked high for the number of entries submitted.

Programmer Chun Jinsu said, “I would like to express my support for filmmakers around the world who are recommencing their productions after the pandemic,” “As the number of entries for the International Competition grows each year, I recognize the JEONJU IFF is gaining more and more recognition from filmmakers around the world. I hope that the JEONJU IFF will become renowned globally to provide more opportunities for filmmakers in all parts of the world to screen their work.”

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