Jeonju film fest unveils Masters section lineup
From Mike Leigh's latest to Quay Brothers' long-awaited return, lineup showcases legacy alongside bold experimentations
The 26th Jeonju International Film Festival has unveiled its Masters section lineup featuring 15 films from acclaimed auteurs and emerging talents for the April 30 to May 9 run.
Headlining the selection is Mike Leigh's character study "Hard Truths," starring Marianne Jean-Baptiste as a caustic London housewife harboring deep emotional wounds. The film marks Jean-Baptiste's reunion with Leigh after her Oscar-nominated role in the 1996 film "Secrets & Lies."
Identical twin animators the Brothers Quay end a 20-year feature hiatus with stop-motion fever dream "Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass," while Japanese New Wave holdout Adachi Masao delivers "Escape," a nuanced character portrait chronicling a militant's five decades of life on the run.
Canadian experimentalist Guy Maddin teams with collaborators Evan and Galen Johnson for political satire "Rumours," featuring Cate Blanchett and Charles Dance as leaders facing an impending apocalypse at a G7 summit.
Francois Ozon brings the psychological thriller "When Fall Is Coming," while Christopher Petit and Emma Matthews present the documentary "D is for Distance," a deeply personal chronicle of their son's battle with epilepsy through intimate footage and third-person narration.
The lineup includes festival circuit veterans like experimental filmmaker James Benning with "Little Boy," and Romanian director Andrei Ujica, whose "TWST - Things We Said Today" offers an unconventional approach to documenting the Beatles' 1965 Shea Stadium appearance without showing the actual performance.
British avant-garde filmmaker John Smith turns the camera on himself in "Being John Smith," using his common name to explore identity and anonymity. His two earlier works, "The Girl Chewing Gum" and "The Black Tower," will also be screened.
Canadian director Denis Cote returns to documentary with "Paul," which follows a depressed man who finds purpose performing housework for dominant women. His experimental short "Days Before the Death of Nicky" will also be shown.
Two posthumous documentaries from French New Wave pioneer Jean-Luc Godard—"Scenarios" and "Expose du film annonce du film 'Scenario'" — round out the program. These works offer rare glimpses into the auteur's filmmaking techniques and creative process.
"We've approached this lineup like diamond miners searching for overlooked talents," programmer Moon Sung-kyung said. "It is Jeonju's answer to the question of a film festival's role in our times, while also pointing toward where film festivals should head."
The 26th Jeonju International Film Festival will take place from April 30 to May 9 across multiple venues in Jeonju's cinema district.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Korea Herald
Witness the power of images to change the world: The First SmallRig Awards Announce 22 Global Winners
SHENZHEN, China, June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2025 International Image Culture Week kicked off in Shenzhen with the highly anticipated 2025 SmallRig Awards Ceremony, where 22 prestigious awards were presented to exceptional global creators. The 2025 International Image Culture Week covers three main sections: 2025 Visionary Storytellers Industry Forum, SmallRig Awards Ceremony, and public image experience activities such as The Social Impact Image Pitching Sessions, Filmmaking Class. As one of the core events of this year's International Imaging Culture Week, the SmallRig Awards Ceremony saw creators and guests from around the world dressed in elegant attire. The international judging panel, headed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Ruby Yang, made a full appearance. Out of 3,891 submissions from 120 countries and regions, a distinguished international jury led by Oscar-winning filmmaker Ruby Yang selected the winning works across 22 categories, including 12 Bronze, 5 Silver, and 2 Gold Awards, as well as the Emerging Talent Award, Audience Choice Award, and Outstanding Achievements Award. Zhou Yang, the founder and CEO of SmallRig, Leqi Innovation, shared the inspiration behind establishing the SmallRig Awards. "This award belongs to all those who believe in the transformative power of visual storytelling and strive to make a difference through their work. We aim to foster ongoing creativity, communication, and sharing of social impact stories through visual media." The SmallRig Image Development Fund will also be launched to promote the creation of meaningful content, facilitate exchange, and connect creators with impactful initiatives. Additionally, Xi Zhinong, a globally renowned wildlife photographer, gave a keynote address titled "Presence Is a Photographer's Duty." With four decades of field photography experience, Xi spoke about the critical importance of being on-site to capture the truth of nature. Xi called on photographers to uphold professional integrity and use their craft to preserve nature: "The power of images in nature conservation lies in being present and telling the truth." Following the awards, the event hosted a global roundtable series titled "Dialogues on Social Impact Images." Two themed discussions, "The Power of Storytelling in Social Impact Images" and "See It, Change It: The Potential of Impact Visuals", included prominent guests such as Ruby Yang, filmmaker Gu Tao, German documentary award-winner Uli Gaulke, as well as scholars, authors, and media leaders from China and abroad. The event also marked the launch of the SmallRig Social Impact Media Alliance, a global initiative uniting prominent media organizations to co-create, distribute, and incubate impactful visual content. Moreover, the Social Impact Image Pitching Sessions have successfully gathered 124 proposals from creators across more than ten countries, such as China, US, Belgium, etc. These submissions feature a rich array of 18 series, 53 short films, and 53 feature films, focusing on different topics such as disability care, ecological protection, and the preservation of intangible cultural heritage, all presented through various formats, including documentaries, animation, and experimental films. To recognize excellence, the sessions awarded prizes to the top 10 works, while the esteemed Chinese independent film streaming platform CathayPlay has introduced the CathayPlay International Communication Honor at the event. About SmallRig Founded in 2013, SmallRig designs and builds complete accessory solutions including camera and phone rigs, battery, tripod and video light for content creation. SmallRig's accessories are widely used in live broadcasting, vlogging, professional video production, and other fields supported by over two million creators worldwide. SmallRig pioneered the User Co-Design (UCD) approach and the DreamRig program, with the ultimate goal of co-designing alongside global creators to help turn their dreams into reality.
Korea Herald
5 days ago
- Korea Herald
The Frequency School breaks GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the "195" song featuring the most nationalities
LONDON and LOS ANGELES, June 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Frequency School set a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for "Most nationalities to contribute vocals to a musical recording (single song)" with the "195" song on Monday, in a bid to raise awareness about gender equality and to ignite a global movement uplifting people through the transformative power of soundhealing frequencies. The record-breaking "195" is the first song in history featuring women from all of the world's 195 countries and using sound healing frequencies and the 528 Hz 'Love Frequency'. The Frequency School co-founded by U.S. Grammy-nominated and multi-platinum music producer Maejor, Martina Fuchs, Kingsley M, Brandon Lee and Aaron Dawson produced this visionary, powerful and universal campaign and premiered it during the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, from January 20-24. Using the sounds of birds and the heartbeat as instrumental elements, the "195" aims to raise the world's frequency, elevate humanity, and trigger a positive impact by uniting and empowering women worldwide. One woman in every one of the world's 195 countries recognized by the United Nations said one word: "EQUALITY" in her national language or native tongue and sent in her voice and video recording. The number of women and nationalities participating in the song was officially verified by a Guinness World Records adjudicator. Martina Fuchs, Executive Producer of the "195" and Co-Founder of the Frequency School, said: "It has always been my dream to produce the first song in history featuring every country on the planet. Our vision was to unite 195 ordinary women from all walks of life in this pioneering and groundbreaking initiative to advocate for gender equality and the rights of women and girls, and to help people struggling with mental health issues. Breaking this record is only the beginning: we are on a global mission to make our world a more peaceful place." Maejor, Founder and CEO of the Frequency School who produced the song, said: "The world record is a testimony to our work and the universal language of music. This achievement is a call to every one of us to lift each other up and spread peace, love and harmony. We chose to use 528 Hz which is often referred to as the 'love frequency', or the frequency of transformation and miracles. We wanted to promote more respect and fairness for women, as well as deep inner healing and a state of peace. The transformative vibration of 528 Hz can inspire positive action and empathy and people to act more kindly and inclusively." According to scientific studies and music theory, Solfeggio frequencies, ranging from 174 Hz to 963 Hz, offer unique sound patterns that promote relaxation, stress relief, and overall well-being. These frequencies have been shown to positively impact mental, emotional, and physical health by generating vibrations that help achieve a state of calm and balance of the mind, body and spirit. Kingsley Maduka, Co-Founder of the Frequency School, said: "We're incredibly excited to set a new world record, and I am honored to have the youngest lady in my family, my 6 year-old daughter, to be apart of such an intentional women empowerment project, focused on wellness. Being a man, it's important that we do our parts to support our better halfs for the sake of the mental health and wellness of humanity. The Frequency School is such an amazing platform for utilizing, implementing and amplifying wellness tools - working at the intersection of music, wellness, mental health and education is some of the most impactful work I've been able to be apart of." Brandon Lee, Co-Founder of the Frequency School, said: "Every one of us enters this world through a woman—women are the very heartbeat of humanity. I'm deeply honored to be part of this project and inspired by the future initiatives we're building at Frequency School to uplift women's wellness. Earning the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title will amplify our mission globally, allowing us to create an even greater impact." Aaron Dawson, Co-Founder and Creative Director of the Frequency School, said: "This project is much more than a world record, it's a reflection of the immense gratitude I hold for women everywhere. I carry deep appreciation for every woman who have shaped me: my mother, grandmothers, aunts, cousins, godchildren, teachers, ancestors, and the many women whose love and existence have given me and the world such beautiful life. A better world exists when we honor women's gifts, invest in them, and protect their well-being." Miriam Moriati, President of the Kiribati Rotaract Youth Club and a Women and Youth representative for OARS (Ocean Alliance for Resilience and Sustainability), said: "I'm from Kiribati, a small island nation in the Pacific, where our highest point is just 3 meters above sea level. Our women in Kiribati are vulnerable due to gender equality not being part of our culture and traditions. They are often the first to be affected by crises and the last to recover. Being part of this initiative to support women on an international stage is an incredible honor. Opportunities to represent our small country are rare, and I am grateful for this platform to amplify the voices of Kiribati women." Sawilanji Nachula, a middle school student representing Zambia, said: "I am a 13-year old Zambian and live on the 'Mighty Zambezi' near the Victoria Falls. I am currently a student at Falcon College in Esigodini, Zimbabwe, where I will start my grade 9 next month. I am both honoured and inspired to smash the world record with so many already successful and soon to be successful members. I doubt I will be able to contribute much myself for now. But I will be sure to promote gender equality as I get older." Inspired by the murmuration of birds and nature's synchronicity, the visualizer of the song includes art elements evoking raw emotions and reflecting the power and harmony of women, and their aspiration for freedom and collective strength. LIST OF "195" PARTICIPANTS: Fawzia Koofi, Afghanistan Juxhina Sotiri Gjoni, Albania Kahina Bouagache, Algeria Jimena Cierco Martinez and Júlia Carreras Salvadó, Andorra Ester Nilsson, Angola Abrianna Cooper, Antigua and Barbuda Romina Sudack, Argentina Sose Markosyan, Armenia Anjali Nadaradjane, Australia Delia Fischer, Austria Bahar Balayeva, Azerbaijan Amanda Darville, Bahamas Ahdeya Ahmed Al-Sayed, Bahrain Laiba Jannati Pritha, Bangladesh Gloria Carter, Barbados Kristina Lozinskaya, Belarus Nyanchama Okemwa, Belgium Julie Robinson, Belize Adjalla Senami Naomy Campbell Mariela, Benin Yangdon Sonam, Bhutan Valentina Crespo Kuljis, Bolivia (Plurinational State of) Iman Daneya Zulum, Bosnia and Herzegovina Kabelo Botlhe Dikobe, Botswana Samanta Bullock, Brazil Daphne Lai Teck Ching, Brunei Darussalam Natalini Yordanova, Bulgaria Audrey Korsaga, Burkina Faso Jeanne Irakoze, Burundi Zanu Alves, Cabo Verde Savada Prom, Cambodia Sabrina Love, Cameroon Alyson Meister, Canada Kessy Martine Ekomo-Soignet, Central African Republic Mariam Abdoulaye Malloum, Chad Bernardita Castillo Passi, Chile Joyce Peng Peng, China Karin Andrea Stephan, Colombia Armel Azihar Sly-vania, Comoros Gisèle Brice Mabiala, Republic of the Congo Maria Jose Freer Murillo, Costa Rica Noussoeu Bih, Côte D'Ivoire Marijana Maros, Croatia Lixandra Díaz Portuondo, Cuba Louiza Nikolaou, Cyprus Shelley Pleva, Czechia Esther Eom, Democratic People's Republic of Korea Dodo Liwanga, Democratic Republic of the Congo Heidi Bjerkan, Denmark Intibah Ali Abdallah, Djibouti Sapphire Vital, Dominica María Eugenia del Castillo, Dominican Republic Margarita Heredia Forster, Ecuador Amena Bakr, Egypt Fabiola Torres, El Salvador Paulina Laurel Sami, Equatorial Guinea Harena Amanuel, Eritrea Anette Maria Rennit, Estonia Zandisile Howe, Eswatini Lina Getachew Ayenew, Ethiopia Renita Reddy, Fiji Julia Sulonen, Finland Anino Emuwa, France Rita Aboghe, Gabon Sarjo M Jallo, Gambia (Republic of The) Eka Khorbaladze, Georgia Carolin Strunz, Germany Michelle Nana Adwoa Agyakomah Yeboah, Ghana Efi Pylarinou, Greece Laureen Redhead, Grenada Lilian Viviana Tzul Pérez, Guatemala Fatoumata Diallo, Guinea Waltemira Audilia Monteiro Eckert, Guinea Bissau Amrita Naraine, Guyana Stephanie Garçonvil, Haiti Carmen Elisa Méndez Silva, Honduras Aliz McLean, Hungary Mardis Karlsdottir, Iceland Asma Khan, India Siti Suliatin Buechel, Indonesia Sanam Shantyaei, Iran (Islamic Republic of) Aya Al-Shakarchi, Iraq Lisa Armstrong, Ireland Dalith Steiger, Israel Cristina Romelli Gervasoni, Italy Heather Carrington, Jamaica Meguri Fujisawa, Japan Suad Musallam Hijazin, Jordan Zhanna Kan, Kazakhstan Shayoon, Kenya Miriam Moriati Koae, Kiribati Suad Al Sabah, Kuwait Aigerim Sultanbekova, Kyrgyzstan Duangtavanh Oudomchith, Lao People's Democratic Republic Laima Dimiševska, Latvia Dia Audi, Lebanon Reekelitsoe Molapo, Lesotho Laymah E. Kollie, Liberia Manal Aboujtila, Libya Katrin Eggenberger, Liechtenstein Deimile Soares, Lithuania Sophie-Anne Schaul, Luxembourg Mireille Ramampandrison, Madagascar Jacqueline Nhlema, Malawi Harpreet Bhal, Malaysia Widhadh Waheed, Maldives Binthily Youma Macalou, Mali Michelle Muscat, Malta Claret ChongGum, Marshall Islands Habibata Cissé, Mauritania Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, Mauritius Yolanda Sánchez, Mexico Drinnette James, Micronesia (Federated States of) Annabelle Jaeger-Seydoux, Monaco Amrita Gerelt-od, Mongolia Milica Markovic, Montenegro Touria El Glaoui, Morocco Maria Honoria da Silva Mocambique, Mozambique Ei Han, Myanmar Tisha Haushona, Namibia Angelina Waqa, Nauru Sahana Vajracharya, Nepal Andrea B. Maier, Netherlands (Kingdom of the) Alexia Hilbertidou, New Zealand Kathia Salazar, Nicaragua Alassane Soumana Roukayatou, Niger Eyitola St. Matthew-Daniel, Nigeria Matea Kocevska, North Macedonia Alliance Niyigena, Norway Ruby Saharan, Oman Mariam Zaidi, Pakistan Dee Raya Antonio, Palau Nadia Hazem, Palestine Trishna Nagrani, Panama Jenny Namana, Papua New Guinea Emilie Seitz, Paraguay Gigi Caballero, Peru Andrea Mikaella Geronimo, Philippines Elvira Eevr Djaltchinova-Malec, Poland Sandra Fankhauser, Portugal Dr. Asmaa Alfadala, Qatar Sylvia Shin, Republic of Korea Dana Muntean, Republic of Moldova Carina Schuster, Romania Ashley Dudarenok, Russian Federation Bonita Mutoni, Rwanda Vicia Woods, Saint Kitts and Nevis Sheridin Jones, Saint Lucia Rianka Chance, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Faauiga Maiava Onosai Sauiluma, Samoa Martina Mattioli, San Marino Katy Nascimento, Sao Tome and Principe Asma Alsharif, Saudi Arabia Korka Dieng, Senegal Teodora Cosic, Serbia Beverly Dick, Seychelles Sylvia Conteh, Sierra Leone Cheng Ying (Monica), Singapore Lucia Kupcova, Slovakia Ksenia Juvan, Slovenia Sharon Inone, Solomon Islands Amran Abocar, Somalia Kim August, South Africa Josephine Albino, South Sudan Alejandra Costales Richards, Spain Suba Umathevan, Sri Lanka Tahani Karrar, Sudan Radhiya Ebermann-Joval, Suriname Sabinije von Gaffke, Sweden Martina Fuchs, Switzerland Stephanie Ghazi, Syrian Arab Republic Zarina Khasanova, Tajikistan Ratih Paramitha, Thailand Dália Kiakilir, Timor-Leste Isbath Esther Ali, Togo Ofa gé, Tonga Alexa Chin Pang, Trinidad and Tobago Aya Chebbi, Tunisia Guelistan Fuchs, Türkiye Aylar Babayeva, Turkmenistan Lilly Teafa, Tuvalu Jovia Kisaakye, Uganda Kateryna Krasnozhon, Ukraine Suaad Al Shamsi, United Arab Emirates Melissa Monique, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Flaviana Matata, United Republic of Tanzania Kenzi Kachi Maduka, United States of America Camila Bentancur, Uruguay Muldir Khayitova, Uzbekistan Adrina J L Abel, Vanuatu Boglarka Sztancs, Vatican City Sophia Santi Guevara, Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Yip Thy Diep Ta, Viet Nam Wadha Abdullah Mohsin, Yemen Suwilanji Nachula, Zambia Rosheen Ngorima, Zimbabwe ABOUT THE FREQUENCY SCHOOL: The Frequency School is a pioneering global initiative designed to harness the transformative power of music for the holistic development of people around the world, focusing on the mind, body, and spirit. Through services like music therapy, education, and performance, we empower individuals to lead balanced, healthy, and fulfilling lives. The approach integrates the latest in sound therapy with traditional wellness practices to support the whole person. It was launched by Maejor, Martina Fuchs, Kingsley M, Brandon Lee, and Aaron Dawson at the renowned international boarding school Aiglon College in Switzerland in 2024.
Korea Herald
23-05-2025
- Korea Herald
'Magic Candies' brings Oscar buzz to local screens
Oscar-nominated animated short marks first Korean children's book adaptation by major Japanese studio This year's dearth of Korean works at major film festivals and awards shows — no feature films made it to the Oscars or Cannes — has left local film fans searching for bright spots. One of the few silver linings came from an unexpected source: "Magic Candies," a 21-minute animated short based on Korean author Baek Hee-na's children's book that landed an Oscar nomination for best animated short film in January. With the short film now heading to Korean theaters, the children's book author Baek and Japanese producer Takashi Washio gathered for a press conference at Lotte Cinema Konkuk University in Seoul on Friday. While buzz around the film here largely centered on whether it would score an Oscar, Baek noted that awards were not the main draw for her. "When we made this animation, the goal wasn't commercial," she said. "Every time I write a book, what's really important to me is the personal feeling of having created something I can be proud of anywhere." The project marks the first collaboration between a Korean children's book and a major Japanese animation studio. It brings together established talents: Baek won the prestigious Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2020 for her body of work, while Toei Animation's Washio and director Daisuke Nishio are industry veterans behind hits like "Pretty Cure" and "Dragon Ball Z." The film forgoes the sleek polish of mainstream animation in favor of something quirkier and more expressive. Its rough, textured look stays true to Baek's distinctive approach — she is known for building miniature sets with clay figures, then photographing them under carefully arranged lights to create her storybook illustrations. For Baek, who herself studied animation in college, preserving the original's handmade sensibility was crucial. "I was worried about losing the analog feel if it went CG," she said, referring to computer graphics. The back-and-forth took nearly a year. "They said they'd create CG models of all the characters first and show me. If I liked it, then I'd give permission." That attention to detail extended beyond aesthetics. Washio, working with Korean material for the first time, took pains to capture the authentic local feel. "We did location scouting in Seoul several times," he explained. "I told the director I saw a lot of magpies when I came to Korea, and he looked it up and found out magpies are Korea's national bird. That's how we got to put one the opening scene." The film combines Baek's original "Magic Candies" with elements from another work ,"I Am a Dog," for a more complete narrative arc. "When I first read 'Magic Candies,' I thought it might be too short for a film," Washio said. "But after reading 'I Am a Dog,' I thought it was excellent and would work well from Dong-Dong's perspective." The cross-cultural collaboration paid off beyond expectations. The film has won eight awards across seven international festivals and earned official invitations to over 30 others before landing its Oscar nomination. The biggest revelation for Baek came from something she had never considered. "When I write picture books, I think a lot about the characters' expressions and movements, so seeing them move wasn't that surprising," she said. "But I'd never imagined the character's voice. So when I first heard Dong-Dong speak, I got really emotional — it was like I'd eaten a magic candy myself."
